Geothermal exploration in Rwanda : status report

Abstract

The Government of Rwanda envisions transitioning from a developing country to a middle income country by 2020 and to a high income country by 2050. To achieve this goal, the government is targeting 100% electricity access by 2024 with 52% ongrid and 48% off-grid. Rwanda has limited indigenous fossil fuels and the small hydro resources are almost fully developed. To resolve the increasing demand of electricity and diversify its energy resources, the Government has put its focus on developing the existing potential energy sources from peat, solar, shared hydro sites and methane gas from Lake Kivu. When looking at other available options for energy, the concept of geothermal appears one option, given that the resource is proven and the development cost is acceptable. This paper outlines the background and initiatives in geothermal exploration and development in Rwanda.