| Abstract |
Kenya utilizes various sources to generate electricity ranging from hydro, geothermal, thermal and wind. Hydro power stations are the leading source, with the highest installed capacity. This is from 14 hydro power s located around the country. The current electricity demand is 1,191 MW while the effective installed capacity under normal hydrology is 1,429 MW. Generation capacities from Hydro, Geothermal, baggase (cogeneration) and wind are 52.1%, 13.2%, 1.8% and 0.4% respectively while fossil based thermal contributes at 32.5%. The peak load is projected to grow to about 2,500MW by 2015 and 15,000 MW by 2030. This is due the fact Kenya has a long-term development strategy, The Vision 2030, whose aim is to drive the country into a globally competitive and prosperous economy with high quality of life. Covering the period 2008 to 2030, the country’s new development blueprint aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing, “middle-income country providing a high quality life to all its citizens by the year 2030.” It calls for rehabilitating among other infrastructural pillars; very key being expanding access to stable and reliable electricity supply. Geothermal energy resources are abundant in Kenya. They are located within the Rift Valley with an estimated potential of between 7,000 MWe to 10,000 MWe spread over 14 prospective sites. Geothermal has numerous advantages over other sources of power: it is not affected by drought and climatic variability; has the highest availability at over 95 %; is green energy with no adverse effects on the environment; indigenous and readily available in Kenya unlike thermal energy that relies on imported fuel. This makes geothermal the most suitable source for base load electricity generation in the country. The current installed capacity in the country is 198 MW. An additional 280 MW, scheduled for commissioning in 2013, is also under development in the same Block. Drilling is ongoing in the Menengai Field for Phase I of 400 MW whilst initial project development activities have commenced for the development of 800 MW in the Bogoria – Silali Block. These are geared towards meeting the Vision 2030 Medium Term target of 1,600 MW by 2016 and eventually 5,000 MW by 2030. Realizing the need to reduce the long gestation periods in the development of geothermal the Government has set up the Geothermal Development Company (GDC) to undertake integrated development of geothermal through initial exploration, drilling, resource assessment and promotion of direct utilization of geothermal. By undertaking the initial project activities, GDC will absorb the attendant risks associated with geothermal development and therefore open up opportunities for both public and private participation. The Government is cognizant that joint efforts will be required from both the public and private sectors for accelerated development of the country’s geothermal resources. The government, through GDC, encourages investors to invest, especially in power generation activities, resource development consultancy and direct use application in view of fast realization of speedy progress in exploitation of the green source |