Nov 29, 2009

Kenya sees geothermal power at 4,000 MW by 2030

2009 Nov 24

By George Obulutsa

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya plans to boost geothermal power generation to 4,000 megawatts by 2030 and the company responsible needs about $240 million annually to drill wells and harness steam, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

The government estimates east Africa's largest economy has the potential to produce 7,000 MW of electricity from geothermal energy. It currently generates 167 MW from the source.

Silas Simiyu, managing director of state-run Geothermal Development Company (GDC), said the firm plans to buy 12 drilling rigs, sink 60 wells annually and install well head generators.

"In essence our plan is that every year we should be able to install 200 MW of new power from geothermal," Simiyu told Reuters in an interview.

"This will enable the Geothermal Development Company to put online about 1,000 MW in the next five years, and 2,000 MW in the next 10 years and then in the next 20 years we will have the 4,000 MW."

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE5AN0FA20091124

Want to help with Global-Warming? Please visit
http://www.whiteearth.org

Please become a fan of the Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/WhiteEarthorg/119367692642 and http://www.facebook.com/pages/WhiteEarth/165767310764

Become a friend on Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/christopherbeau

Follow me on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/christopherbeau

No comments: