Pre-Independence Africa: a Lost Opportunity for Geothermsal Resource Development

Abstract

Paleo-Indians, settlers living around hot springs were the first to explore and utilize geothermal resources in North America over 10,000 years ago. European settlers moving westward probably encountered hot springs in Yellowstone area and large scale use of hot springs energy in la Grande, Oregon was recorded in 1862. Only 16 years later in 1878, explorer Stanley reported on the geothermal manifestations in pre-independence Africa in Burundi.
Geothermal based electric power generation was invented in Italy in 1904 and a feasibility study was carried out in 1911 in the now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but the first use of geothermal energy for power production did not occur in Africa until 1952, when a plant producing 550.000-kWh of electricity per year, was constructed at Manono Province (DRC) in the now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). So why have not more African countries developed their geothermal power resources to date? The only exception being Kenya generate 667 MW of geothermal electricity.
Geothermal resources remained undeveloped until the African Geothermal Resource countries (AGRC) attained independence. Some countries have developed strategic geothermal energy policy, institutional, and regulatory frameworks for de-risking geothermal projects and also have considered the development of requisite human resources. the continent’s Geothermal projects in the 21 AGRC are largely financed by regional programmes, international agencies and the country governments. The stand out is Kenya with a ranking of 9th rank among geothermal top ten countries in the World. Djibouti’s current geothermal development status is attributed to the above ingredients in addition to the creation of geothermal corporate bodies, namely: The Geothermal Development Company Ltd (GDC) and Djibouti Office for Geothermal Energy Development (ODDEG), respectively.
Conversely, the AGRCs who are currently lagging in the development of their geothermal resource the slow progress is related end to the absence of some of the above ingredients thus necessitating their governments and policymakers to create or enhance their policy framework to ensure the rapid development of geothermal energy in Africa.