Stanford Geothermal WorkshopFebruary 9-11, 2026

The upstream phase of geothermal energy development—drilling and wellfield construction—represents one of the most resource- and emission-intensive stages in the geothermal value chain, yet remains inadequately quantified and documented in the African context. This study provides a cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of geothermal wellfield development in the Olkaria geothermal field within the Kenyan Rift, focusing on the embodied carbon and material flows involved in drilling, casing, cementing, and surface infrastructure. Using a process-based LCA framework implemented in openLCA, the analysis estimates greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO₂e per MWh), cumulative energy demand, and key environmental indicators for the Olkaria 1AU 4&5 power plants. The study compares geothermal upstream emissions with renewable s—wind and photovoltaic. Results show that upstream activities account for between 15% and 30% of the total life-cycle emissions of geothermal electricity, mainly driven by steel, diesel fuel, and cement consumption. Despite these contributions, geothermal systems exhibit a markedly lower environmental footprint—over 60% lower than the EU energy mix—and outperform comparable renewables such as PV and wind in overall environmental performance. Opportunities for emission reduction include improving drilling efficiency, adopting low-carbon materials, and optimising well design. The findings offer quantitative evidence to support sustainable drilling practices and more accurate carbon accounting in geothermal development, contributing to ongoing discussions on the environmental competitiveness of geothermal energy within global decarbonisation pathways.

Topic: General