Geothermal Power Plant in Kenya By: Clara Fong

Contents Introduction What Is Geothermal Energy The Financial Cost Of The Project Benefits Of Using The Energy Socio-Economic & Environmental Impact For And Against C0nclusion Thank You For Listening

Introduction Geothermal Power Plant in Kenya The name of the project is “Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant”. Which is a geothermal plant in Kenya. The companies building the power plant is Kenya Electricity Generating Company and Sinclair Knight Merz. The world aid agencies financing the plant is the European Development Bank and the World Bank. Japanese and Australia governments also fund the project.

What Is Geothermal Energy? Geothermal energy is generated from the Earth’s core. The heat can be changed into steam or hot water, this is renewable energy because the Earth is constantly producing the heat.

The Financial Costs Of The Project Kenya is planning to spend $1.3billion on geothermal energy. The World Bank provided loans total to $117 millions. The cost of the drill is USD39,700 and the cost of the drilling is USD25.00/ft,2,000ft to find geothermal energy. The average costs would be approximately USD50million per drill site. There are some governments support (for example the Australian government supported USD 10Million). $

Benefits Of Using The Energy In Kenya almost 60% of energy is generated by Hydro electricity, the rest is from geothermal and thermal energy. Right now only 10% of Kenya’s population has electricity for there homes, so this project will help more people to have a better lifestyle. The energy is going to be used for household needs such as heated water and electricity.

Socio-Economic & Environmental Impact There were five families used to stay in the area which is now where the geothermal projects is and the National Park. They were asked to leave without any help or money from the government, now they have to find food, water and shelter again. However the Kenya Generator gave them facilities, like: transport, schools, shops and piped water.

Socio-Economic & Environmental Impact Continued Although other concerns that occurred were: increasing of dust levels, they may easily get a diseases, less land for livestock, less family land and etc. Noise is another effect that disturbs the Kenyans that live near the area. Since geothermal energy needs to dispose gasses which changes the air quality.

For And Against For: 90% for the time geothermal energy is efficient and reliable. The energy usage in Kenya should rise by at least 10%(8,000 megawatts) in the next two decades. Should be ready in 2013. They have given people that need to move out of where they used to live schools, shops, transport and piped water. Against: The constructors have to move people who used to live where the geothermal plant is right now. Kenya can’t afford to pay all the money.

Conclusion In conclusion I think that this project mostly beneficial for the Kenyans because this will provide them with more energy for houses and electricity. It is only detrimental because the people living in the area are now forced to move somewhere else without help. However, they will have a better life style in the future.

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