The Center is part of Ethiopia's Ministry of Mines and Energy. Its main objective is to help create the conditions for the development and promotion of rural energy supplies and technologies. This remit includes the following:

* Identifying energy resources suitable for rural areas and conducting studies for their development;
* Improving indigenous energy technologies and adapting foreign technologies in line with the needs of the country;
* Studying energy demand, supply and consumption patterns;
* Studying production, distribution, utilisation and conservation of affordable and efficient energy resources and technologies with due regard to environmental protection;
* Evaluating social, economic and environmental impacts of using various energy resource and technologies;
* Collecting energy information, and making this available to users;
* Raising awareness of rural community and providing training for production, distribution, utilisation and conservation of energy.

* Biomass energy development (biogas technology, enhancement of fuel wood supply, dissemination of improved charcoal production technology, improving efficiency of indigenous household cooking devices);
* Development of new and renewable energy technologies (mini-hydro, solar, wind energy);
* Assessment of energy resources and socio-economics and formation of regional states energy database; * Dissemination of appropriate energy technologies;
* Institutional capacity building.