Today, Global Gateway with its Team Europe partner Denmark has reached a significant milestone in Ethiopia with the Assela wind farm: its first turbines have started feeding power into the national grid of Ethiopia. By the end of 2025, once all turbines are fully operational, the wind farm will generate over 300 GWh of clean and sustainable energy annually, which will allow to meet the electricity needs of more than 140 000 households, that is approximately 700 000 people.
H.E. Sune Krogstrup, Ambassador of Denmark to Ethiopia: “The Assela Wind Farm showcases the robust partnership between Denmark and Ethiopia. Drawing on Denmark's extensive experience in wind energy and sustainable practices, we are proud to contribute to enhancing Ethiopia's energy system. This collaboration not only advances Ethiopia's renewable energy capacity but also strengthens the bonds between our nations and is a great illustration of the Global Gateway led by the European Union and its Member States. We look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership, working hand in hand to further develop and transform the Ethiopian energy sector.”
Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, said: "I want to congratulate our Team Europe member Denmark in leading the way with this green energy partnership, demonstrating the importance of solid cooperation with our partner countries and the private sector. This is a perfect example of Global Gateway in action: Transformative investments in strategic sectors as energy to unlock potential growth and boost job creation. The Assela windfarm will not only improve the daily lives of people in Ethiopia, it will upscale local businesses and create new opportunities for communities. It also creates new links between Europe and Ethiopia, with European companies at the heart of its construction. A true win-win cooperation. And that is what Global Gateway is about.”
H.E. Semereta Sewasew, Ethiopian State Minister of Finance for Economic Cooperation: “The Assela Wind Farm represents a major step in Ethiopia’s shift toward a resilient and diversified energy system. It demonstrates our ability to deliver technically advanced alternative energy solutions through blended finance, strong institutional coordination, and lasting partnerships. Our collaboration with the Kingdom of Denmark has been instrumental in integrating clean energy into the national grid and advancing our economic and climate objectives.”
Located 150km South of Addis Ababa, the Assela wind farm is owned by state-owned utility Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP). Fully financed by Denmark through a grant from IFU’s Danida Sustainable Infrastructure Finance (DSIF) and a loan from Danske Bank, this flagship project will significantly contribute to cooperation between Europe and Africa.equal partnerships with Ethiopia.
Constructed by the Spanish-German company Siemens Gamesa, it illustrates the European Global Gateway strategy, which aims to leverage both finance and expertise from public and private Team Europe partners to build smart, clean and secure connections in the energy sector across the world.
Thanks to the Assela wind farm, Ethiopia is one step closer to achieving access to modern and affordable energy and to becoming a regional power hub in Eastern Africa, eventually supporting the decarbonisation of the whole region.
Background
The project supports Ethiopia’s ambition to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and middle-income status by 2030 through a climate-resilient and low-carbon development path. Large-scale renewable energy generation is key to shift away from fossil fuels in transport and industry and from traditional biomass fuels predominantly used by rural households. Wind energy also contributes effectively to the diversification of its electricity mix, currently heavily reliant on hydropower, in view of strengthening its climate resilience.
Global Gateway is the EU's offer for smarter, cleaner, and more secure connections across the digital, energy, and transport sectors worldwide, while supporting health, education, and research systems. Between 2021 and 2027, Global Gateway aims to mobilize up to €300 billion in investments, creating essential connections that empower local communities rather than creating dependency.
Further information:
Details
- Publication date
- 22 May 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for International Partnerships
- Location
- Brussels