Wind Energy

Ethiopia Could Use Wind Energy in Lieu of Gibe III to Save Lives

A Kenyan group that advocates for Lake Turkana, and its basin and environment, Friends of Lake Turkana (FoLT), has suggested that Ethiopia should abandon the Gilgel Gibe III, an Ethiopian hydroelectric dam being built on the Omo River, and explore wind power to harness needed energy.

Friends of Turkana (FoLT) and many other advocacy groups, such as Survival International, have recently managed to force the European Investment Bank (EIB) stop financing the Gibe III project.

After being rejected by EIB, Ethiopia has secured a loan from the Chinese government to build Gilgel Gibe III dam.

FoLT: Climate change + Gibe III = death of Lake Turkana

As Friends of Lake Turkana, we urge more pressure from the IOM and other organisations that have the interest of the people of Lake Turkana, to cause the Ethiopian government to rethink the project. Ethiopia could benefit from selling electricity to its neighbours but at what cost?

There are other ways to generate electricity that do not involve killing the worlds largest permanent desert lake, and its people and ecosystem. A good example is the Lake Turkana wind power project that the government of Kenya is working on – although there have been delays on the project. Ethiopia could also use wind energy.

www.friendsoflaketurkana.org/index.php