African countries should exploit their geothermal energy potential in order to cater for the growing demand of electricity, which is partly driven by the continent’s sustained robust growth, according to industry experts.
The experts made the call yesterday during the seventh African Geothermal Conference (ARGeo-C7).
For example, they said, the Great Africa Rift Valley alone has over 20,000 MW of geothermal energy yet only a fraction of that is exploited.
According to Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo, the Regional Director of UN Environment in Africa, governments should be ready to remove barriers that can hinder the attraction of private investors if they are to succeed in geothermal development.
“Public investment cannot really achieve those targets, no private sector can come on board if the risks are not mitigated, if the environment is not conducive and if there is no incentive for them to come, the private sector will only come for profit,” she said.
