Energy Technology Programme

The Energy Center strides to create strong link, both nationally and internationally, between the experts in the field of Renewable Energy Technologies, Energy Applications, Energy Conversion and Conservation, Energy Management, Energy Auditing and Optimizationand stakeholders.

Background

Energy is one very important commodity that both developed and developing nations rely heavily on. The amount of energy consumed by a country is directly proportional to its level of development. The types of raw materials used for energy conversion in developed and developing nations are quite as different as their levels of development.

Power generation in Ethiopia, which is mainly based on hydropower, is vulnerable to draught when the shortage of rainfall occurs. It is, therefore, necessary to support large and medium scale power generation systems with research, targeted to improve the energy mix of power generation and decrease distribution losses.

Electricity might still not be accessible from the grid to sparsely located rural communities and villages distant from the grid. Hence, other options of decentralized power generation systems have to be sought for off-grid electrification using micro hydropower, solar photovoltaic, solar steam generators, bio-gas, geothermaland wind-power generator technologies.

The inefficient conversion of the huge quantity of fuel wood into heat in developing countries is accelerating the deforestation process. Equally serious environmental devastation is due to the exhaust gases that are the causes of greenhouse effect and acid rain.

The Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, the leading institute in postgraduate education and research in the country, stimulated by the above threats, must enter into the picture and show its concern by introducing programmes and research that will raise the competence of the country in energy conversion, energy management and mitigation.

Rationale

The major motivations for the establishment of the Energy Center in the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology are outlined below:

• The high demand for research professionals and qualified personnel with technical and managerial knowledge and skill to promote and implement renewable energy technologies to backup the country’s energy requirements;
• The need for disciplined and professionally competent management groups with diverse skills in areas like organizational leadership, change management, financial management, human and material resources management, etc.;
• The demand for high quality and efficient power production in the country which is achievable through research and development in electrical power;
• The realization that research and development in the production of electro-mechanical devices can play a great role in developing companies that will be engaged in building electric power industries and that eventually could reduce investment costs of imported power plant components;
• The rising cost of petroleum which calls for applied research in alternative fuels, adaptation of biofuel technologies, assembling of small scale biofuel production systems, and pilot production, characterization of biofuels and identification of performance and operational problems of vehicles that run with biofuels;
• The need for research in and development of very efficient stoves, that would improve household energy efficiency, could reduce the adverse effect of wood firing on the environment;
• The fact that conducting energy audit in the major industries of the country and identifying feasible energy conservation measures can be applied to reduce energy losses in industrial processes and ultimately contribute to industrial energy conservation and increase of industrial productivity.
• The fact that identifying energy resources and their rational utilization require continuous study and research if long term energy needs of the economy are to be met in a cost effective manner.

Vision, Mission andObjectives

The vision, mission and objectives of the Energy Center are outlined below.

Vision

The Energy Center will strive to become a leading and unique regional multicultural institution of postgraduate studies and research in energy technology and management.

Mission

The mission of the Energy Center is to develop highly competent and committed professionals and conduct research for sustainable development of the energy and power sectors in Ethiopia.

Objectives

The Energy Center has the following diverse objectives:

1.    Research Objectives

• Prioritize research activities in the energy sector and prepare a five-year research master plan;
• Collect, analyze and compile data and information that would enable  to carry out a detailed study on energy resources, energy conversion and conservation systems;
• Identify and conduct research in areas related to energy resources, energy conversion and conservation, giving priority to the following areas:
  • Identifying options for rural electrification;
  • Developing electro-mechanical devices;
  • Household energy efficiency improvement;
  • Production of biofuels, performance evaluation and utilization;
  • Industrial energy conservation and optimization.
  • Devise appropriate mechanisms for the dissemination of research findings.

2.    Capacity Building Objectives

The Energy Center will provide interdisciplinary postgraduate education and short term training in both theoretical and practical aspects of energy technology and power industry management, to meet the following needs:

• Identify consultancy and training needs of the country in the energy sector to devise a sustainable energy development programme in the country;
• Train highly qualified technical human power in energy technology, equipped with the required technical skills for planning, installation and operation of renewable energy conversion systems;
• Train professionally competent power industry managers with diverse skills in areas like organizational leadership, financial management, human and material resources management, combined with the requisite fundamental technical knowledge in power system and development and utilization of energy resources.

3.    Networking Objectives

The Energy Center will stride to:

• Create partnership with other institutions to maintain and enhance the status of being the leading national academic center in theoretical and applied energy areas;
• Work with national organizations and enterprises involved in energy resources development and management, energy conversion and conservation, etc.;
• Work with research institutions, industry and related organizations world-wide to promote renewable energy utilization.

4.    Values

The Energy Center will promote the following values and cultures:

• Environmental sustainability;
• Quality, cost consciousness and productivity;
• Loyalty, collective interest over individual interest;
• Tolerance, cross-cultural cooperation and understanding;
• Encouraging team players, innovators, and leaders;
• Transparency and accountability.