ADDIS ABABA - Supporting the country's effort in the development and promotion of renewable energy coordinated by the National Bio-gas Program of Ethiopia (NBPE), China on Friday donated bio-gas appliances to Ethiopia.

Xie Xiaoyan, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, signed on the hand-over certificate with Alemayehu Tegenu, Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy, in a ceremony held on the premises of Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital.

The appliances worth one million Chinese Yuan (about 161,290 U. S. dollars) will be disseminated to rural households to light and cook with them, said Alemayehu.

The minister noted that the Ethiopian government has been taking various measures for development of alternative sources of energy by expanding access to modern and clean energy services.

He stated that based on the country's potential of cattle and availability of water in rural Ethiopia, the government together with development partners has planned to construct 70,000 bio-gas plants by the end of the country's Growth and Transformation Period (GTP 2011-2015).

The minister commended the Chinese government for the donation of the appliances amid a bottleneck for rapid expansion of Ethiopia's bio-gas program.

"In this regard I would like to express my deep gratitude to the efforts made by the Government of the People's Republic of China through its Embassy here for swiftly answering our request for the 10,000 bio-gas appliances worth 1000,000 Yuan in donation, " said the minister.

He added he would also like to express the government's commitment to rapidly disseminate the appliances to help rural households to light and cook with it.

He also appreciated the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia and all other parties participated in one way or another for realization of the donation.

Xie said that the donation is a gift symbolizing the friendship of the Chinese government and its people to the government and people of Ethiopia.

He expressed pleasure that Ethiopia, as part of the renewable energy, has successfully introduced its bio-gas program since 2008 in different parts of the country.

He said the supply of the appliances is more urgent as the potential for bio-gas out of the total energy demand in Ethiopia could reach 90 percent eventually.

"The timely arrival of bio-gas appliances from China is a complement in small measure to the sustainable development of NBPE and China is pleased to be a cooperation partner of your national program in the area of renewable energy," said the ambassador.

He also said that Chinese technicians have tested and installed some of the appliances and also provided training for Ethiopian technicians.

The Ethiopian minister said that expanding access to modern and clean energy services is an essential component of the transformation effort of the country.

Further to the GTP, Ethiopia's Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) initiative outlines the vision, strategy, financing and institutional arrangement Ethiopia will need to pursue to attain the triple goals of economic growth, net-zero emission and building resilience, said the minister.