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he need to meet world energy demands while preserving sustainable environment has resulted into a shift of focus to renewable energy sources. In Kenya, eelectricity consumption is expected to grow by 23% to a minimum of 3000 kWh by the end of 2018. To meet this demand, Kenya like many other countries, has shifted its focus to renewable energy sources mainly geothermal resource development. Kenya is well endowed with high temperature geothermal resources that are largely untapped. These resources are located within the axial of the Kenya Rift valley. The Kenyan Rift valley forms part of the larger East Africa Rift system (EARS) which runs from Afar triple junction in Djibouti to Beira in Mozambique. Some of the areas with geothermal resources are already developed and in production drilling stage. These are referred to as geothermal fields and they include Olkaria, Eburru and Menengai. In the other areas, surface exploration studies have been done but production drilling has not commenced. These are referred to as prospects and they include Suswa, Longonot, Arus-Bogoria, Lake Baringo, Korosi, Paka, Lake Magadi, Badlands, Silali, Emuruangogolak, Namarunu and Barrier. Geothermal research and development in Kenya began in early 1950’s. The first drilling, which took place in 1956, yielded unsuccessful results. In 1972, with the help of UNDP, geothermal research was accelerated culminating in the commissioning of the first power plant in 1981.
Currently, Kenya is number seven on the world geothermal energy producers with a total of 657 MWe. This power is generated by Olkaria I (45 MWe), Olkaria I unit IV&V (140 MWe), Olkaria II (105 MWe), Olkaria III (139.3 MWe), Olkaria IV (140 MWe), Wellhead generators (83.3 MWe), Oserian (2 MWe) and Eburru wellhead (2.5 MWe). Geothermal development in Kenya has relied on various financial partners to realise this success. They include Government finance, multilateral development banks, bilateral development agencies, special purposes finance (green funds), commercial banks and private equity. Kenya has made great strides in the direct utilization of geothermal resources. Some of the uses include heating and fumigation of green houses, drying of crop harvests, milk pasteurization, fish farming and recreational purposes among others. Like many other energy development projects, geothermal energy has had its fair share of challenges. They include financial challenges, technological and human capacity challenges, environmental and socioeconomic challenges and legislative and policy challenges. However, various measures have been put in place to address these challenges. Geothermal resource development has a great future with the Kenyan government focussing on having 2500 MWe from geothermal by the year 2025. |
