Renewable energy: GE, Addis Abba institute sign MoU

General Electric (GE) Renewable Energy and Addis Ababa Institute of Technology (AAiT) on Monday May 15, 2017 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) to frame an ongoing collaboration aimed at enabling capacity development programs focused on Renewable Energy.

Since late 2016 GE and AAiT have been working together to develop and start the implementation of skills development programs. In March 2017, GE Renewable Energy Hydro engineering staff spent the week at AAiT delivering a series of seminars to 30 students and faculty on Hydro turbines and generators technology.

GE Renewable Energy is actively participating to the delivery of the projects of the high-priority Growth and Transformation Plan projects in Ethiopia, including in the Hydro sector, and is working with Ethiopian Electric Power to develop new projects in the Hydro, Wind and Solar space. AAIT is the premier Engineering and Research institution in Ethiopia graduating engineers in over 7 undergraduate programs and 35 MSc. and PhD programs.

The ultimate vision of the collaboration between GE and AAIT is to develop a Renewables – Center of Excellence at AAIT to serve as a practical learning hub for undergraduate students in the Ethiopia University system, a research incubator for graduate students and a reinforcing learning mechanism for faculty. AAIT and GE will work together to build an ecosystem of enablers from development agencies, Renewables industry players and partners.

During the MOU signing ceremony, leaders from the two institutions shared remarks to the gathered dignitaries. Professor Admasu, Addis Ababa University President said “Collaboration with Industry is a key facet of exchange for AAIT and essential to addressing the need of students to be exposed to practical and thoughtful learning experiences while also ensuring the teachers are given access to the latest in the field of knowledge”. Mr. Yves Rannou, President and CEO, GE’s Hydro Solutions said “The MoU with AAiT is a new milestone for GE Renewable Energy in Ethiopia. It enables sharing current industry expertise and experience with students and faculty at AAiT in order to build a highly-qualified workforce that will support the social and economic development of the country”.