By Owen Turner

Geothermal power is power extracted from heat stored below the earths crust Geothermal energy is generated in the Earth's core The energy is seen on the earth’s surface in the form of fumaroles, hot springs and hot altered grounds. To extract this energy, wells are drilled to tap steam and water at high temperatures ( °C) and pressures ( PSI) at depths of 1-3 km

For electricity generation, the steam is piped to a turbine, which rotates a generator to produce electrical energy.

Geothermal power is known for powering electricity Geothermal is a sustainable source of energy used to power many things Geothermal power is cost effective, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly Geothermal wells release greenhouse gases trapped deep within the earth As a result, geothermal power has the potential to help lessen global warming if widely used in place of fossil fuels such as oil and coal.

Kenya is getting ready to spend $1.3 billion on geothermal energy development While the country has more than 22 years of experience using the Earth’s natural heat to generate power, this new project is expected to produce 280 megawatts from four separate geothermal generators each capable of pumping out 70 megawatts. Megawatts are used for measuring the amount of energy

Olkaria I 45MW Olkaria IV MW Olkaria II 70MW Olkaria V Unknown Olkaria III 48MW

Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited (KenGen) is the leading electric power generation company in Kenya, producing about 80 percent of electricity consumed in the country In addition to geothermal power, the company uses several different methods to produce sustainable energy: – hydro (the use of water) – thermal (using the Earth’s natural heat) – Wind Hydro is the leading source for energy production in Kenya

Kenya Electricity Generating Company

Kenya needs the electricity because only 10% of the houses in Kenya have electricity Kenya needs to generate more power to support its country’s growth plans. However, it will also need to build up the infrastructure necessary to transmit it on a much larger scale. Kenya’s hydro power generation has suffered from the effects of recent droughts It is a developing nation with a growing population but is not especially wealthy and needs the cheaper energy source Kenya has no natural oil or gas reserves Kenya has significant geothermal areas – especially in the Rift valley

Using Kenya’s geothermal reserves is a good solution to Kenya’s energy needs as it is readily available, reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. It reduces the country’s dependence on costly outside energy supplies BUT, the cost of development is more expensive than the country can afford – The European Development Bank (EDB) and the World Bank (also known as the International Development Agency – IDA) have stepped up to invest in this new project – Their support should lower the cost of the power produced for average Kenyans, and it should go a long way toward meeting the world community’s energy and emissions reduction goals

In addition to EDB and IDA, other aid organizations willing to help fund Kenya’s geothermal production plans are: – KfW Entwicklungs Bank (international aid arm of the German Government) – French Agency For Development (AFD controlled by French Government) – Japanese International Development Aid (JCIA)

By helping the Kenyans, the aid organisations mentioned are: –C–Completing their mission to assist with the sustainable development of developing nations and;- –O–Offsetting their own country’s carbon emissions by spending money on green energy development in growing nations like Kenya – giving them a sort of ‘green credit’ and making the world a better place.