Ethiopia energizes itself with Chinese help

In the green highlands on the outskirts of Ethiopia's second-largest city, Adam, more than 100 three-blade wind turbines can be seen. When the two-phase wind farm goes into full operation soon, it will become this country's largest wind generating project.

Local people are still planting crops and raising cows and horses beneath the turbines that carry the names of two Chinese companies - CGCOC and Hydro China - along with that of the Ethiopian Energy Authority.

A senior manager of CGCOC, which has focused on infrastructure projects in Africa for years, said the company is still negotiating with Ethiopia to build a wind power base and transfer China's long chain of know-how in capturing this renewable energy to the East African country, which has rich wind resources especially in the Rift Valley region.