Kenya to go big on Geothermal- President Ruto

Kenya will prioritise the development of geothermal energy in the country’s quest to green the grid, H.E. Dr. William Ruto, the President of the Republic of Kenya, has said.

“To this end, Kenya has a stated goal of achieving 100% of renewable energy power generation by 2030, to be complemented by a diverse technology mix… Geothermal generation specifically is expected to be prioritised over the next decade,” noted the President.

He made the remarks yesterday when he opened the 25th Africa Energy Forum at KICC in Nairobi.

This high-level consideration means that work for GDC is well cut out as a key sector player in the development of geothermal resources in the country.

And in his highlights, Hon. Davis Chirchir, the CS, Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, lauded GDC as a key factor in the sector developing flagship projects like the Menengai, and Baringo Silali. He noted that “GDC’s innovative drilling methods such as directional drilling and slim hole drilling” are playing a great role in accelerating the development of geothermal in the country.

Speaker after speaker noted that Kenya’s geothermal potential is immense, at 10,000 MW, and that it needs to be developed to support universal access to clean energy.

The forum, which was also attended by Mr. Paul Ngugi, the Managing Director and CEO, attracted diverse actors across the energy spectrum. “The forum is one of the most meaningful gatherings of decision-makers in the African energy sector and brings together governments, utilities, regulators, development finance institutions, commercial banks, power developers, technology providers, EPCs, and professional services,” remarked Hon. Chirchir.

And in a panel discussion by energy sector MDs and CEO, Mr. Ngugi assured the delegates that GDC is on the right trajectory of derisking the sector and strategically developing new fields. He also noted that the strategic future is in Direct Uses of geothermal energy all in a bid to lower the cost of power and expand investment in the sector. At the panel discussion, the MD was represented by Mr. Eric Wamanji, Deputy Manager, Corporate Communications and Marketing (CCM).