The fourth 4th Africa Rift Geothermal Conference ended in Nairobi, Kenya last week with experts calling for scaling up geothermal energy generation to meet the continent’s energy shortfall.

Kenyan Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka in his key note address said despite to several geothermal explorations in the country, limited budgetary support coupled with high drilling cost are the major constraints. He called for reduction of risks through mutual regional resource development approach. “The Kenyan government promises to harness and upgrade her geothermal potential to reduce reliance on hydro and thermal generated electricity,’ said the Vice-President.

The conference covered varied topics including surface exploration, drilling, power generation and transmission, reservoir engineering and management, steam field development. “The conference comes at a time when countries are diversifying energy sources to help power their growing economies, industries and populations. “In Tanzania, we have established a national task force to consider geothermal energy to reduce reliance on hydro and thermal generated electricity,’’ says Tanzanian Energy Minister George Simbachewene.

Ethiopian Minister for Mines Shinkinesh Ejigu said her country has abundant geothermal potential, and said geothermal power is the only way to go in order to ensure climate resilience. She said due to resource constraints, the country is exploring Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to produce all kinds of power.

Ugandan Energy Minister Simon Dijunga stressed on capacity building in geothermal development and his country has benefited from short courses in geothermal exploration on for developing countries at Olkaria in Kenya. Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) CEO Edward Njoroge said the power utility values PPPs in implementing mega geothermal projects owing to the colossal financial resources required. He said PPP will enable construction of power plants within a government-stipulated timeframe.

Geothermal Development Company (GDC) Managing Director Dr Silas Simuyu said the Great African Rift basin has abundant and untapped geothermal potential and called for collective region strategy to ensure sustainable development. Dr Simiyu wooed investors to participate in geothermal prospecting, saying local communities should form cooperative societies, to generate and sell geothermal power to the national grid.

Dr Simiyu said Kenya’s geothermal potential, which ranges from 7,000 MW- 10,000 MW, was underutilized and called for more community investments in this new moneymaker. GDC was established in January 2009 as a wholly state-owned entity to accelerate geothermal exploitation in Kenya, which has estimated potential of 10,000 megawatts (MW).

Over 500 expert and stakeholders attended the three day event that attracted exhibitions of geothermal projects, equipments and services. The conference ended with a field trip to geothermal projects in Olkaria and Menegai in Kenya’s Rift Valley.