Tapping into 14,000 megawatts of geothermal potential in eastern Africa is the focus one new collaboration at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Six visitors from Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya, capped their trip to Colorado on Friday, May 15, with meetings and tours at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The African delegation spent the week at the DOE Geothermal Technologies Office Peer Review in Westminster, Colo.
East Africa is one key area with substantial geothermal energy potential along the East African Rift System (EARS). Experts believe the EARS system promises to be one of the world's greatest sources of geothermal power.
"Kenya and Ethiopia have substantial geothermal power production, big plans for future development, and excellent exploration prospects along the EARS," said Charlie Visser, NREL principal geologist. "Djibouti is planning to develop a very large geothermal system as well.
"Geothermal development along EARS will make a huge contribution to electrification and reduction in power cost in this part of the world with obvious social and economic benefits," he added.
