Poly-GCL, company engaged in natural gas exploration in Ethiopia, has started drilling the 6th petroleum and natural gas well dubbed Hilal-7 gas in Somali Regional State, Ethiopia. Thus far the company has drilled 5 gas wells around Calub and Hilala areas in the Ogaden Basin.
The Indian oil producing Pongamia tree is being marketed under the trademark ‘Vayusap.’ The plant promoted as a Wonder plant is being marketed by the Vayugrid Marketplace Services plc.
The strain being marketed in Ethiopia is a high yield, genetically selected form of the Pongamia plant resistant to a range of negative weather conditions and is tolerant to poor quality soil types according to Vayugrid.
The oil from the plant has a range of potential uses in the production pharmaceuticals and bio fuels explained Douglas M. Petersen, Chief Executive Officer of Vayugrid Marketplace Services.
Power exports to Djibouti earn 2.1 Million US dollars monthly according to the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation.
The EEPCo is currently exporting 34-40 MW of electricity to Djibouti and is generating 2.1 million US dollars every month said Meskir Negash, Head of Public Relations for the Corporation.
EEPCo supplies the electricity between five in the afternoon to one in the morning which is not a peak demand period for domestic customers explained Meskir.
It is expected that more than ten million power saving light bulbs imported in Ethiopia will save 176 MW of energy according to the Ministry of Water and Energy.
5 million previously imported power saving light bulbs have been able to save 88 MW of energy explained Bezuneh Tolcha, Public Relation and communication Director with the Ministry.
An additional 5 million bulbs imported last year are expected to raise the total amount of energy saved to 176 MW he said.
The Ethiopian Privatization and Public Enterprises Supervising Agency has endorsed the proposal offered by Horizon Plantation for the six Limu Coffee Farms. Horizon Plantations made an offer of 1.184 billion birr for the purchase of the six farms and the head office of the Limu Coffee Plantation.
The six farms included in the deal are Soka, Gumer, Cheleleki, Goma I, Goma II and Suntu. The bids for each individual farm ranged 70.9 million birr to 266.6 million birr while Horizon offered 60.4 million birr for the Limu Coffee Plantation Head office.
The agreement according to the bid document will entail Horizon paying 35% up front with the difference to be settled over a period of five years.
