The challenges and opportunities of renewable energy integration in the future of the East Africa Power Pool (EAPP). Case studies: The role of the Ethiopia – Kenya – Tanzania interconnectivity

Abstract

Regional Electricity Markets Developments in Africa, have received notablemomenta and research attentions; mainly focusing on institutional, marketdevelopments; and lately democratization in an era of increasedelectrification and digitalization; introduction of Artificial Intelligence in acentury of increased geopolitics and geoeconomics and the increasing needfor integrations of large share of renewables in the energy systems; and needfor balancing energy systems and markets at national, regional andcontinental for sustainable future energy systems.The East Africa Power Pool (EAPP) established since 2005; is specializedinstitution of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA),with main objective of optimum development of energy resources throughregional power interconnectivity in East African Region; currently in a uniquedevelopment stage; a leapfrogging opportunity for harnessing abundancerenewable resources in the region for low - carbon pathways for grid scaleutilizations of endowed renewables; solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal,and others; for meeting the electrification demands; to reduce energy accesswide gaps; at reduced costs; with empirical evidence of feasibility of the useof Ethiopia – Kenya – Tanzania (EKT) interconnectivity; and that renewableenergy resources are inexhaustible on human time scale; as ecosystemsprotections and reduced water use; and in enabling industrializations, andjob creation as well as; but not limited to; in line with the Paris Agreement.EAPP regions with high vulnerability to hydrological variability; energyshortages, and supply disruptions; renewable energy diversifications; couldimprove their energy system resilience and reliability through resourceoptimizations in system wide planning with enhanced quality gridinterconnectivity, supported by harmonizations of policies, cross-bordertrade and market developments. In this study of EKT interconnectivity,enhanced by hydropower potentials in the Ethiopia, geothermal power in theEast Africa rift valley and wind power projects investments; are firstbeneficiaries of system wide planned interconnectivity; and ready forpioneering regional market and electricity trade; a critical opportunity forcarbon footprints reductions in EAPP, at regional and continental in Africa.