Africa: The New Frontier for Geothermal Investment and Development

2010

Resource prioritization in geothermal energy development is a core function of policy makers in any country. In Kenya, the known geothermal prospects occur within the Great Rift Valley where widespread volcanic activity and geothermal manifestations signify existence of viable geothermal energy resources, which can be utilized for both electricity generation and direct uses. Geothermal resources in the rift are estimated to be able to support generation of over 2000 MWe. The Country’s Least Cost Generation Expansion Program has identified geothermal to be among the least-cost sources of indigenous energy in Kenya. Based on this program, the National Power Development Plan requires an additional 512 MWe of geothermal power to be installed by the year 2020. This requires an estimated funding in the region of US$174 million per field for a 70 MWe power plant. This is a significant figure for a developing country such as Kenya. As would be expected therefore, funding remains the biggest...

Journal of Energy Research and Reviews, 2018

The East African Rift is among the most crucial regions of the world endowed with a remarkable geothermal potential. Using current technologies, East African countries have a geothermal power potential of more than 15,000 MWe. Nevertheless, the zone is still at an early stage of geothermal development with few plants producing a few hundred MWe. Among East African countries that have carried out research on geothermal resources, Kenya is leading in utilising geothermal energy resources for electricity generation. Eritrea, Uganda, Tanzania and Djibouti are at exploration stage while Malawi and Rwanda have so far not gone past geothermal resource potential record work. This study sought to address the challenges and barriers to the adoption of geothermal energy as well as the strategies to implement geothermal energy plans in East Africa.

International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)

Geothermal energy has been accelerated by the Kenya government as a strategic objective towards addressing the serious constraints in energy supply and cost in the country. Despite the vast geothermal resources Kenya is endowed with, estimated to be in excess of 7000 MW, only a small fraction, approximately 8%, has been exploited leaving a huge portion still untapped. This study thus sought to investigate the critical factors that significantly affect implementation of geothermal development projects in Kenya by the key implementing agencies, GDC and KenGen. The research employed a multiple case study design where stratified random sampling technique was used. Data was collected using survey questionnaires and key informant interviews. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 17) was used to run descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages so as to present the quantitative data based on the research objectives. Qualitative data generated from open ended questions was categorized in themes in accordance with the research objectives and reported in narrative form along with quantitative results. Pearson's correlation coefficient was employed to analyze inferential statistics and test the hypotheses of the study. The findings show that all the four determinants considered in this study, that's strategy, funding, geothermal resource uncertainty and technical capacity, are positively correlated to successful implementation of geothermal projects in Kenya and are responsible for explaining 71% of project implementation. It is concluded that the government plays a central role as far as successful implementation of geothermal projects is concerned. The researcher recommends harmonization (streamlining) of laws and regulations that guide and govern geothermal development as well as enactment of policies and guidelines that provide a clear framework of handling communities that host geothermal resources. It is further recommended that the government expedites the setting up of Geothermal Centre of Excellence to bridge the gap in local expertise.

2008

Kenya is endowed with vast geothermal potential along the world famous East African Rift valley that transects the country from north to south. Exploration reveals that geothermal potential exceeds 4,000 MWe and is capable of meeting all of Kenyas electricity needs over the next 20 years. Out of this potential, only 130 MWe is currently generated at the Greater Olkaria geothermal field. KenGen in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy of the Government of Kenya has undertaken detailed surface studies of most of the prospects in the Kenya rift, which comprises Suswa, Longonot, Olkaria, Eburru, Menengai, Lakes Bogoria and Baringo, Korosi and Paka volcanic fields. The Least Cost Power Development Plan (2008-2028) prepared by the Government of Kenya indicates that geothermal plants have the lowest unit cost and therefore suitable for base load and thus, recommended for additional expansion. Electric power demand in Kenya currently stands at over 8% annually. In order to meet the anti...

2018

The world is expected to experience tremendous increase in energy demand between now and the year 2025. The need to meet future energy needs of the people in the word while conserving the environment can be adequately satisfied if clean and sustainable methods of generation are adopted. In Kenya, electricity consumption is expected to grow by 23% to a minimum of 3,000 kWh by the end of 2018. To meet this demand, Kenya has scaled up renewable energy resources development with great focus on geothermal development. Kenya is highly endowed with high temperature geothermal resources that remain largely untapped. The resources are located within the Kenyan Rift Valley which forms part of the East Africa Rift System (EARS). The latter spans from Afar triple junction in Djibouti to the north, to Beira in Mozambique to the south, covering a distance of more than 4,000 km. The Kenyan Rift Valley has various volcanic centers located along its axis, extending from Barrier volcanic center in th...

2020

In Kenya, several Acts of Parliament regulate and guide use of geothermal and other natural resources in a sustainable way. The laws that deal specifically with geothermal development are Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act of 1999 (EMCA 1999) and the Geothermal Resource Act of 1982 and its supplementary legislation of 1990. Other regulations do not refer specifically to geothermal development but, due to their implications, affect geothermal development at various stages in various ways. These include Energy

Geothermal power production is a process of generating power from heated fluids that transmit heat from beneath the surface of the earth. Hot fluids are obtained from below the earth’s surface having been superheated from the core of the earth. These fluids are used to turn a turbine that converts the heat energy to kinetic energy. The kinetic energy is converted to electricity by a generator. Currently over 725 MW of geothermal power is produced in Kenya. This accounts for 39.2% of the total power produced in Kenya. This is expected to increase to 1200 MW over the next 20 years. Kenya has unlimited geothermal energy potential which is yet to be utilized and which can become the major source of energy in the country. This paper reviews the geothermal power production process in Kenya. It discusses exploratory drilling, production drilling, single flash cycle, wellhead technology, and the costs incurred in geothermal power generation. One method is suggested to recover power in waste steam and calculations are done to show the amount of power that can be recovered. Several challenges facing geothermal power production in Kenya are also highlighted

2010

In Kenya, several Acts of Parliament regulate and g uide use of geothermal and other natural resources in a sustainable way. The laws that deal specifically wi th geothermal development are Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act of 1999 (EMCA 1999) and the Geothermal Resource Act of 1982 and its supplementar y legislation of 1990. Other regulations do not refer specifically to geothermal development but, due to their implications, affect geothermal development at vari ous stages in various ways. These include Energy Ac t of 2006, Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Kenya Forest Act of 2005, Occupational Health and Safe ty Act of 2007, Public Health Act, Local Government Act, Water Act of 2002 and Physical Planning Act of 1 999. Geothermal development is also guided by World Bank environmental and social safeguard policies such a s the Operation Procedures on environmental assessment, natural habitats, indigenous people and involuntary resettlement. In addition, Kenya i...

2014

The project cycle for the geothermal projects as implemented by KenGen comprises four phases and nine steps. The phases are resource exploration, resource assessment, plant construction and operation phases. The exploration phase is further subdivided to three development steps: existing data review, detailed surface exploration and exploration drilling. The resource assessment phase is divided into two steps: appraisal drilling and feasibility study. The construction phase comprise two steps; production drilling and construction of the steam gathering pipe network, power plant and transmission line construction. The work plans developed are used by the execution team as a road map to power plant commissioning which is the ultimate development objective and are also used for soliciting for funds from funding institutions. The planning entails scheduling of the various activities comprising the project activities and how they interrelate. The activities comprise the legal or regulato...

2013

Geothermal energy development in Kenya is associated with the African Rift Valley which intersects Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania Zambia, Malawi and northern Mozambique. There is a western segment that passes through Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. All these countries have some geothermal potential. It is only in Kenya and Ethiopia that exploitation of geothermal energy for power generation has been attempted. Electricity generation from geothermal in Kenya started in 1981 with construction of Olkaria I station. The current output in Kenya is 209 MW which is about 16% of the country’s effective capacity. There is a plan to increase the generation by an additional 5000 MW by 2030. The current geothermal capacity is located in Olkaria Geothermal field mainly within Hell’s Gate National Park which is a nature/wildlife conservation area. Kenya has over the years gained experience in managing the environmental issues associated with geothermal development in nature conservation...