Stakeholders push for geothermal energy
DAR ES SALAAM: RENEWABLE energy stakeholders are advocating for accelerated efforts to fully exploit geothermal resources in Tanzania and across Africa to facilitate the transition to clean and sustainable energy.
They asserted that effective investment in geothermal energy will significantly boost electricity generation, diversify the energy mix and reduce carbon emissions through the use of eco-friendly power.
The sentiments were expressed during the week-long 10th Africa Rift Geothermal Conference in Dar es Salaam, which concluded on Friday.
In the closing ceremony, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Dr James Mataragio said that participants insisted on the need for African countries located within the Rift Valley, including Tanzania, to expedite the development of geothermal energy due to the abundance of potential sites for the renewable resource.
Key geothermal sites in Tanzania include Ngozi, with a potential output of 70 megawatts (MW); Kyejo-Mbaka, 60 MW; Songwe, between 5 to 35 MW; Natron, 60 MW; and Luhoi, 5 MW. Together, these sites promise to add significant capacity to the national grid if fully exploited.
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Dr Mataragio pointed out that despite the vast geothermal resources available in Africa, including Tanzania, they remain underexploited, saying this underscores the urgent need for governments across the continent to develop effective strategies that will maximise electricity generation from this renewable source.
He noted that Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti are currently the leading nations in geothermal energy development, emphasising that their successes highlight the importance of supportive policies to enable full exploitation of geothermal resources in other countries.
According to the participants, favourable regulatory frameworks are essential to attract investments in the geothermal sector. They also stressed the importance of continued collaboration among African countries to exchange technologies and information vital for leveraging geothermal energy for sustainable development.
“Together we can unlock geothermal potential for a sustainable energy future,” Dr Mataragio asserted.
Moreover, he mentioned that participants advocated for the use of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance data analysis related to geothermal site exploration, facilitating timely decisions on resource exploitation.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Minister for Energy and Petroleum, Mr James Wandayi said geothermal contributes about 40 per cent of power generation in his country.
He said Kenya is ready to share the path to other African countries so that they can also effectively explore and exploit geothermal energy.
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President of Africa Geothermal Association (AGA), Dr Peter Omenda assured technical assistance to all African countries to explore the renewable energy
He invited all African experts in the geothermal energy subsector to conduct research which will form the basis for exploration and exploitation.
More than 100 technical experts in geothermal energy attended the conference.
