The $1 billion ‘electricity highway’ that allows Ethiopia and Kenya to share their power (CNN)
Ethiopia produces all the power for its national grid from renewable sources, and is home to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the largest hydropower plant in Africa. In Kenya, renewables account for around 90% of electricity, and the country boasts one of the largest geothermal facilities in the world, in the Olkaria Area.
But relying on renewables can be hard: electricity can’t always be generated when needed (a drought can mean no hydropower) and renewable energy is difficult to store. One solution? The Ethiopia-Kenya Electricity Highway.
Interconnectors are popular outside Africa, too, with a network of over 400 in Europe. A link between Spain and Morocco already connects the electricity supplies of Europe and Africa, and another – between Greece and Egypt – is currently under construction, with the aim of completion by 2029.