Environmental and weather measurement specialist Vaisala has modernized Ethiopia’s weather and climate observation network by powering a C-band weather radar using a solar power system on-site.
Ethiopia’s weather radar network is being renewed and expanded as part of a project to advance the country’s weather forecasting capabilities. To overcome challenges posed by an unreliable electricity grid, the new solar power system and battery backup system will keep the weather radar continuously operational for up to four days even without solar radiation.
Jarkko Sairanen, executive vice president of weather and environment at Vaisala, said, “Climate change feeds extreme weather around the world, including Ethiopia, where people are more vulnerable to the impact of severe weather events like flooding, drought and hail. Through the solar-powered weather radar network, we bring another industry-first solution, which raises in a difficult environment the capabilities of Ethiopian authorities to provide their society insights in a reliable way, and simultaneously provide another step toward a healthier planet for us all.”
The solar-powered weather radar is the first in a network of four C-band weather radars to be installed in Ethiopia.