Geothermal Resources of Malawi - An Overview

Abstract

Malawi lies in south-eastern Africa between latitudes 9o S and 17o S and longitudes 32o E and 36o E. The country lies at the southern end of the Western branch of the East African Rift System.
The geology of the country is mainly comprised of metamorphics of Precambrian to Lower Palaeozoic age. Volcanism associated with the rifting is well developed to the south of the country.
Malawi almost entirely relies on hydroelectricity for its power generation. However, due to serious environmental degradation, the power generation capacity has since 2003 been seriously affected sometimes by as low as 75%. These problems have negatively affected the industrial sector. This has forced the government to consider alternative sources of power such as coal, gas and geothermal energy.
The paper highlights the major hotsprings centres in the country, their physico-chemical characteristics and recommends geothermal energy as an alternative source of power.