Development Cooperation and Geothermal Energy in East Africa

Abstract

The Geothermal Exploration Project (GEP) carried out by the Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA), which later merged with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Iceland, with co-financing by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), began in 2013 and finished in 2018. Support for geothermal development is defined as a priority in Iceland’s Development Cooperation Strategy. The project was also carried out in collaboration with numerous international institutions, including the World Bank, UN Environment, Africa Union Commission and ÍSOR as a technical advisor. One of the cornerstones of the project was to assist the countries in the Rift Valley in East-Africa in geothermal exploration and training with the aim to increase knowledge of the possibilities of these countries for utilizing their sustainable and clean resources. In addition to electricity production, direct use (e.g. food drying) is a viable option in many places. The project design in each country was based on demand and requests from countries on particular needs to be addressed