The upcoming East African Power Industry Convention (EAPIC) in Nairobi in September will feature a Geothermal Power Summit, providing a dedicated focus on the potential of geothermal energy in the region, the available financing options, specialised technologies and exploration challenges. More than 500 power professionals will gather in the Kenyan capital from 10-11 September for the 15th edition of EAPIC.
“In Kenya alone, there is a potential of approximately 10,000 MW of electric power”, says Dr Nicholas Mariita, Chief Geothermal Training Officer at Kenya Electricity Generating Company, the country’s state utility, and an expert speaker at EAPIC in September.
Near the town of Naivasha, KenGen Drilling Superintendent Isaac Kirimi declares the starkness of a nearby landscape. "This is like a live volcano! You can easily convince someone you're in hell," he said. KenGen is Kenya's leading power company.
Kirimi notes that the surrounding rocks underfoot are still soft. He's in search of a small bushy plant known as geothermal grass, which thrives in high ground temperatures.
"It is normally used by scientists to give them an indication of where there is potential for geothermal resources," Kirimi says. "A scientist is like a wild person. You are imagining things and now trying to transfer that imagination. And try to convince someone to invest in that is not very easy."
More than 30 years after KenGen built its first geothermal plant here, investment in renewable energy is booming. Aided by government support, KenGen is ramping up geothermal production.
"The cost of drilling can be prohibitive: the drilling costs, the power plant costs, and interconnecting all of these wells. Once you do that, you have nothing else to do for the next 25 years.except build another one. But we know the source is the center of the earth, so there will always be energy," Geoffrey Muchemi, a development manager at KenGen says.
The majority of Kenya's energy needs are currently met by hydroelectric power. Hydropower is diminished during rain shortages, leading to Kenya's regular blackouts.
In order to harness geothermal energy, wells are first dug more than two kilometers into the earth's surface. The steam released by the wells is monitored for several months. If the hot water and steam is found to be exploitable, they are extracted from the well. The steam travels through pipes to a power plant, where it is converted into electrical energy. The water is re-injected into the earth.
KenGen is also developing a geothermal spa near the wells. It features a large pool with mineral-rich waters, modeled after the Blue Lagoon in Iceland where many KenGen engineers studied.
Not all Kenyans are enthusiastic about the expansion of geothermal energy.
"The Masaai live inside the outer crater rim. In the inner crater rim, nobody lives there," Reuben Sempui of the Masaai community says. He lives on Mt. Suswa, the site of a proposed geothermal project. "So these are the manyattas [homesteads] where the Masaai live."
Sempui's community faces displacement if the project goes ahead. Members of the community are negotiating with KenGen, demanding employment opportunities and a share of the revenue generated by the well.
Kirimi notes that the surrounding rocks underfoot are still soft. He's in search of a small bushy plant known as geothermal grass, which thrives in high ground temperatures.
"It is normally used by scientists to give them an indication of where there is potential for geothermal resources," Kirimi says. "A scientist is like a wild person. You are imagining things and now trying to transfer that imagination. And try to convince someone to invest in that is not very easy."
More than 30 years after KenGen built its first geothermal plant here, investment in renewable energy is booming. Aided by government support, KenGen is ramping up geothermal production.
"The cost of drilling can be prohibitive: the drilling costs, the power plant costs, and interconnecting all of these wells. Once you do that, you have nothing else to do for the next 25 years.except build another one. But we know the source is the center of the earth, so there will always be energy," Geoffrey Muchemi, a development manager at KenGen says.
The majority of Kenya's energy needs are currently met by hydroelectric power. Hydropower is diminished during rain shortages, leading to Kenya's regular blackouts.
In order to harness geothermal energy, wells are first dug more than two kilometers into the earth's surface. The steam released by the wells is monitored for several months. If the hot water and steam is found to be exploitable, they are extracted from the well. The steam travels through pipes to a power plant, where it is converted into electrical energy. The water is re-injected into the earth.
KenGen is also developing a geothermal spa near the wells. It features a large pool with mineral-rich waters, modeled after the Blue Lagoon in Iceland where many KenGen engineers studied.
Not all Kenyans are enthusiastic about the expansion of geothermal energy.
"The Masaai live inside the outer crater rim. In the inner crater rim, nobody lives there," Reuben Sempui of the Masaai community says. He lives on Mt. Suswa, the site of a proposed geothermal project. "So these are the manyattas [homesteads] where the Masaai live."
Sempui's community faces displacement if the project goes ahead. Members of the community are negotiating with KenGen, demanding employment opportunities and a share of the revenue generated by the well.
Huge capacity development required
According to KenGen, state-owned and IPP geothermal plants currently contribute some 202 MW of Kenya’s annual 1597 MW power generation. According to Dr Mariita, “to attain Vision 2030, Kenya needs to increase electrical production from 1597 MW to around 17 760 MW in order to satisfy the projected power peak demand of 15 000 MW in year 2030. This demands a 1200% expansion of power generation, of which, approximately 7000 MW will come from geothermal resources. Thus, huge capacity development is required to increase geothermal power generation.”
Lack of regulatory frameworks
The Great Rift Valley, running from Middle East to Mozambique (through Ethiopia, North & South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi) has a great potential for geothermal energy, particularly in East Africa, where geothermal manifestations such as hot springs, fumaroles and geysers are prevalent.
Says Dr Mariita, “the countries of the East African Rift System (EARS) have a considerable geothermal energy potential. Only Kenya has made significant efforts to harness this potential so far. To develop this resource, it has developed a geothermal development Act of Parliament. Most countries of the EARS have no strategy and inadequate legislative and regulatory frameworks for the development of the geothermal subsector. Existing regional initiatives are mostly focusing on exploration and site/project-specific activities such as (pre-) feasibility studies, project implementation planning, negotiation of power purchase agreements.”
Says Dr Mariita, “the countries of the East African Rift System (EARS) have a considerable geothermal energy potential. Only Kenya has made significant efforts to harness this potential so far. To develop this resource, it has developed a geothermal development Act of Parliament. Most countries of the EARS have no strategy and inadequate legislative and regulatory frameworks for the development of the geothermal subsector. Existing regional initiatives are mostly focusing on exploration and site/project-specific activities such as (pre-) feasibility studies, project implementation planning, negotiation of power purchase agreements.”
Speaker and topic highlights from the EAPIC Geothermal Power Summit:
* Geothermal capacity building: collaboration between higher learning institutes and the sector
- Dr Nicholas Mariita, Superintendent, KenGen, Kenya
- Dr Nicholas Mariita, Superintendent, KenGen, Kenya
* Financing options for geothermal projects
- Kirsten Offermanns, Principal Project Manager, KfW Development Commission, Germany
- Kirsten Offermanns, Principal Project Manager, KfW Development Commission, Germany
* Geothermal exploration
- Ludvik Georgsson, Deputy Director, United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme, Iceland Geothermal, Iceland
- Ludvik Georgsson, Deputy Director, United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme, Iceland Geothermal, Iceland
* Challenges in developing Katwe – Bunyampaka geothermal area
- Ralph Nyakabwa-Atwoki, Project Consultant, Kenya
- Ralph Nyakabwa-Atwoki, Project Consultant, Kenya
* Sustainable development of geothermal
- Philipe Niyangabo, Head of Energy Division, Dept. of Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, Ethiopia
- Philipe Niyangabo, Head of Energy Division, Dept. of Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, Ethiopia
Also confirmed to address EAPIC are Uganda’s Energy Minister, the Honourable Engineer Irene Muloni and CEOs from utilities in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia.
Event dates and location:
Conference days: 10-11 September 2013
Pre-conference workshop: 9 September 2013
Site visit: 12 September 2013
Conference days: 10-11 September 2013
Pre-conference workshop: 9 September 2013
Site visit: 12 September 2013
Location: Safari Park Hotel, Kasarani Off Thika Road, Nairobi, Kenya