World Bank funds Ethiopian geothermal development

The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) has approved a loan of $178.5m, alongside a grant of $24.5m from its Scaling-up Renewable Energy Program Trust Fund, to boost development of geothermal resources. The bank said the funding would be administered in two phases, with the first intended to confirm geothermal resources and boost capacity development, and the second aimed at developing the resource for power generation. The project is targeting two geothermal sites, Aluto and Alalobad. At Aluto, four IDA-financed wells will be drilled alongside 22 further wells of between 2,000 and 2,500 metres depth. At Alalobad, four IDA-financed wells will be drilled to explore the site and identify resource potential.