Use of geothermal energy in dairy processing

Abstract

The growth of industries is dependent on the availability and affordability of energy. However, conventional energy sources such as fossil fuels are getting depleted and their price is increasing rapidly due to market forces and world politics. It is, therefore, necessary to consider alternative sources of energy and geothermal energy is a potential option. Geothermal energy can be utilized for both electricity generation and direct uses such as heating and cooling. The dairy industry in Kenya can benefit immensely from the vast geothermal energy in the country since both dairy farming and the geothermal resources are located in the same region, i.e. the Rift Valley region. Furthermore, dairy processing involves both heating and cooling operations, whose energy requirements are within a range that the geothermal resource in Kenya can provide for. This paper discusses some of the dairy processing operations which can utilize geothermal energy and the appropriate technology which can be applied for each operation. The energy demand and the costs for each operation are also discussed.