UDC-BDU Partnership: Renewable Energy Project at Bahir Dar University

The paper describes the realization of a standalone, PV/Wind powered water delivery system, undertaken jointly by the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, DC, USA and Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia. This UDC-BDU partnership was supported by a Seed Grant from the US Embassy in Ethiopia. The project is a model that can be duplicated in various rural communities which need ambulant water delivery. The proposed water delivery includes potable water to rural communities and cattle, as well as water for small scale drip-irrigation. The design introduces novel features providing versatility and mobility to the system. The paper describes also the academic merit of the project by highlighting its integration in the BDU’s undergraduate and graduate power engineering curricula.