Tanzania has geothermal potential of 650 megawatts

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has geothermal potential of 650 megawatts, experts say.

Geothermal energy is derived from the heat of the earth. Its exploitation will help the country, which relies on hydropower to alleviate electricity shortages.

According to experts who met in Dar es Salaam at a recent GeoPower Africa Conference, geothermal energy is renewable, indigenous, clean and safe.

The United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) regional manager for Africa, Dr Meseret Zemedkun, told the conference that geothermal energy decreases greenhouse gas emissions and reduces the vulnerability to weather and climatic variations.

Of the East African Community (EAC) member states, Kenya has harnessed geothermal energy.

So far 14 African countries are either using or undertaking research on geothermal resources. Of these countries only Kenya, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia have plants.

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited chairman, Mr Titus Mbathi, told the conference that all five EAC member states had geothermal potential, with Kenya leading by having 10,000MW, followed by Rwanda 700MW, Tanzania 650MW and Uganda 450MW.

Burundi’s potential is yet to be projected.

Potential geothermal areas in Tanzania are Lake Natron in Manyara, Songwe, Kasumo, Mampulo and Lake Ngozi in Mbeya and Mbaka faults. Tanzania is still doing studies of geothermal energy.

In his paper presentation, Mr Taramaeli Mnjokava from Geological Survey of Tanzania, said there were more than 15 locations with more than 50 hot springs of temperature less than 40 degrees Centigrade.

The prospects are in Lake Natron, Lake Manyara, Musoma, Kisaki, Utete, Luhoi, Luhombero, Songwe River, the Rukwa trough, Kasumulo and the Mampulo- Rungwe volcanic complex.

“The highest geothermal potential is the Ngozi-Songwe geothermal system,” said Mr Mnjokava.

At Ngozi, geothermal power to be generated is up to 100MW, depending on reservoir capacity. The nergy is expected to boost rural electrification.

The Mbaka fault will generate electricity up to 10MW and the first generation is expected next year.

Tanzania expects to develop its geothermal energy through funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Unep and the government.

AfDB Tanzania resident representative Tonia Kandiero told the conference participants that the bank supports power infrastructure to ensure better access to modern forms of clean energy in Africa.

Though discussants stressed African countries’ need to tap geothermal resource to meet their energy demand, yet the countries were cautioned about the risks in developing the resource.

Geothermal Power Tanzania director Horst Kreuter highlighted challenges like geological risk from drilling holes and high costs of drilling, which was estimated to be at Sh24 billion ($15 million).

Dr Kreuter also said Tanzania was yet to have specialised funding mechanisms although there is no commercial risk and power distribution from geothermal resource.

It has been seen that many private developers shun investing in geothermal field due to high financial risk implicated in its development.

The Energy and Water Utility Regulatory Authority director of electricity, Mr Anastas Mbawala, proposed that the government or public entity could take the risk.

Public-private partnership can also be one of the options, he said.