Kenya relies on energy from the deep

Kenya relies on energy from the deep
In Kenya, the seemingly underdeveloped use of geothermal energy is much further advanced than in most industrialized nations. From 2030 to the heat from the depths provide more electricity for the country than any other source, reports Technology Review (ordered on Thursday at a kiosk or shop from now on heise online) in its latest September issue. By 2030 the geothermal power are in the country with billions of investment and multiplies including German assistance to almost five gigawatts. The intention of the Kenyan cover more than one-quarter of its estimated electricity demand.
In Kenya, heat from the earth and can easily be tapped in such large quantities as almost nowhere else on the globe. Made possible by the special location: The east African coastal State is geologically the middle of the Rift Valley, a rift system of approximately 3,500 kilometers between Ethiopia and Mozambique in the north to the south. For example, in Kenya, some already in 900 meters depth more than 300 degree steam reservoirs found. These are almost ideal conditions for the generation of electricity from geothermal energy.
Already in the fifties, the then British colonial government had begun exploratory drilling. Since 1981, in Kenya actually produces electricity from geothermal energy. By now a total of 198 MW Kenya may now be far behind the leading United States with 3100 MW - but still well ahead of developed nations such as Germany, which only lead to much deeper drilling into usable heat. In this country, why are only just under seven MW of geothermal power at the mains - a share of less than one tenth per thousand of the total German capacity.
Main site for geothermal power generation is Olkarioa, northwest of Nairobi, where previously three power plants are located, each with several blocks. With its proven fruitful sources of steam to the site will now be expanded even further. Will cost the whole thing around a billion euros, partly financed by a consortium of World Bank, European Investment Bank, French Development Bank, the Japanese Development Agency and the German KfW Development Bank.