80+ Senior Decision Makers Aligned on Solar, Storage and Scalable Deployment | February 27, 2026 | Sapphire Addis Hotel, Addis Ababa
In a landmark first edition for the country, Solar & Storage Ethiopia 2026 convened over 80 senior stakeholders from across Ethiopia’s renewable energy ecosystem for a focused day of policy dialogue, technology exchange and investment alignment in Addis Ababa.
Hosted at the Sapphire Addis Hotel, the platform convened policymakers, regulators, financiers, utilities, developers and technology providers at a critical stage in Ethiopia’s electrification journey, focusing on translating solar and storage ambition into bankable, scalable deployment.
With rising capacity ambitions, the emphasis has shifted toward regulatory clarity, grid integration and execution discipline across key market segments.
Clear Focus. One Day. Strategic Direction.
Opening the Dialogue
Solar & Storage Ethiopia 2026 commenced with Opening Remarks by Mr. Andrew Ferreira, Associate Director, FirstVIEW Media Ventures Pvt Ltd, who framed the day around institutional collaboration, capital mobilisation and long term market confidence.
Curated techno commercial presentations were delivered by Mr. Dahlak Hika Ayana, Sales Manager Ethiopia at JA Solar, and Mr. Dagim Legesse Shumu, Country Manager Ethiopia at GoodWe Technologies Co., Ltd, highlighting high efficiency PV technologies, advanced inverter and storage integration and performance optimisation solutions tailored to Ethiopia’s evolving project landscape.
A knowledge presentation was delivered by Mr. Samson Tolessa, Head of Secretariat, Ethiopian German Energy Cooperation, GIZ, offering further perspective on policy implementation, international cooperation and institutional capacity strengthening supporting Ethiopia’s renewable transition.
Strengthening Regulatory Pathways and Investment Frameworks
The first high level panel examined Policy, Regulatory and Investment Pathways for Ethiopia’s solar and storage market, featuring insights from Ms. Julia Walschebauer, Team Leader, European Commission, Ms. Filagot Tesfaye Woldeselassie, President and Co Founder, Ethiopian Women in Energy, Mr. Haile Mekonnen, ESG Division Manager, Wegagen Bank, and Mr. Girum Feleke Wolde, ESG Manager, Nib International Bank, with the session moderated by Ms. Kalkidan Esayas, CEO, Kal Consulting.
Discussions explored alignment with NEP 2.0, bankability frameworks, blended finance instruments, green bonds and results based financing mechanisms capable of attracting both local and international capital. Panellists assessed progress in PPA standardisation, licensing reforms and fiscal incentives, while identifying the continued importance of tariff clarity, forex convertibility and payment security in strengthening investor confidence. The dialogue reinforced the need for coordinated action between government, private sector actors and development partners to sustain long term sector growth.
Advancing Technology Integration and Scalable Project Delivery
The second panel shifted the focus toward implementation and system design, featuring perspectives from Mr. Desalegn Getaneh Woldemariam, Managing Director, Humanitarian Energy, Ms. Hiwote Teshome, Energy Sector Lead, SNV Ethiopia, Mr. Hilawe Lakew Tesema, Co Founder and Director of Projects, Ethiopia Resource Group, and Ms. Netsanet Taye Seid, Founder and CEO, NARAN Africa Green Energy Solutions, with the session moderated by Ms. Hanna Andargachew Gebremariam, General Manager, Ethiopian Women in Energy Association.
Leaders examined the comparative role of utility scale, C&I and mini grid solutions in expanding reliable access, alongside the growing importance of battery energy storage and hybrid solar hydro models in mitigating intermittency and enhancing grid stability. Digitalisation featured prominently, with discussions on AI driven asset optimisation, IoT integration, smart metering, SCADA systems and modular deployment models designed to improve performance, accelerate timelines and reduce technical risk. Climate resilient design, streamlined permitting and stronger local EPC and O&M capacity were identified as essential pillars for scalable and sustainable deployment.
Solar & Storage Ethiopia Leadership Awards 2026
The platform culminated with the Solar & Storage Ethiopia Leadership Awards 2026, celebrating organisations and professionals driving measurable impact across innovation, execution excellence and sustainability leadership within Ethiopia’s clean energy ecosystem.
The awards segment was formally presented by Mr. Desalegn Getaneh Woldemariam, Managing Director, Humanitarian Energy, who took the stage to present the honours and address the gathering during the ceremony.
Industry Feedback
Mr. Dahlak, Hika, JA Solar, shared:
“Solar & Storage Ethiopia 2026 provided a valuable platform for dialogue and collaboration within the renewable energy sector. As JA Solar, we appreciated the strong organization, effective pre-event promotion, and the professional onsite support delivered by the team. The event created a positive environment for industry engagement and knowledge exchange, and we look forward to seeing it continue to grow as a key platform for advancing Ethiopia’s solar market.”
Strong Industry Backing
Solar & Storage Ethiopia 2026 was strengthened by the active engagement of its partners.
Pan African Partner: JA Solar
Gold Partner: GoodWe Technologies Co., Ltd
Strategic Media Partners: SolarQuarter, Energy Storage Pro
Supporting Partners: Ethiopian Women in Energy (EWiEn), Green Finance Alliance, Dubai Renewable Energy Business Group
Their participation broadened institutional representation across policy, finance, ESG, technology and implementation stakeholders, ensuring that discussions reflected current market realities and forward looking priorities.
Looking Ahead
As Ethiopia advances toward universal electrification and deeper renewable integration, the inaugural edition positioned Solar & Storage Ethiopia as a strategic platform aligning policy, capital and technology for execution, signaling a more structured phase of the country’s clean energy transition with stronger regulatory clarity and growing investor confidence supporting scalable deployment.
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