Green power builds up a head of steam

Photo/SULEIMAN MBATIAH

Local tourists at Lake Bogoria’s hot springs. The county has the potential to produce up to 3,000 MW of geothermal power for Kenya.

Baringo is sitting on a resource that experts say will play a key role in propelling Kenya into a golden economic age.

For geothermal power is the future. Of Kenya’s estimated 15,000 MW that can be produced from hot springs, up to one fifth of that — 3,000 MW — is available in Baringo.

And the excitement goes beyond producing cheap and clean electricity. Geothermal, says Geothermal Development Corporation (GDC) managing director Silas Simiyu, can support a raft of other profitable ventures.

‘’The process of generating electricity produces millions of litres of water. We’ll use the same water to support irrigation and relieve the nation from rain-fed agriculture,’’ he explained.

Kenya started exploring geothermal energy in the Menengai crater in Nakuru where the first well, opened in May this year, is already producing 10 MW.

Recently, Rift Water Services Board announced that they are working with GDC to convert the steam water, a by-product of geothermal power in Menengai and supply treated water to the consumers in Nakuru.    

The same could be done for Baringo where the main economic activity is keeping livestock and bees. Farming is only small-scale.

Tourism is another source of revenue and coupled with the availability of geothermal power, the county has all it needs to grow and prosper.

The Geothermal Development Company has established that the county could produce 3,000 MW of power around lakes Bogoria and Baringo.

The area is called the Bogoria-Silali block, which comprises of both lakes and Arus, Korosi, Chepchuk, Paka and Silas.

GDC’s Silas Simiyu recently announced they will first develop 2,000MW in four phases at the block.

The first phase targets plants of 800MW by 2017 while phase two will have 400MW by 2019, the third phase 400MW by 2021 and phase four 400MW by 2023.

GDC has invited bids for building eight plants with a capacity of 100 MW each. Investors should be prepared to put in around $400 million each.

The country is gradually doing away with hydroelectric power following climate change that has led to reduction of water in most rivers.

So the focus is now on renewable, clean energy from steam. “Bogoria-Silale will open up the northern frontiers of the country,” said Mr John Lagat, GDC’s chief geologist.

“The region is ready to provide green power and cut down the cost of electricity in the country,” he added.

The reduction, according to experts, may be as much as 40 per cent. This is more so because of the fact that the sinking of wells by GDC has been heavily subsidised by the government.

The effect on the economy would be huge. The prices of consumer goods would be cheaper not to mention the fact that domestic consumers will have more money in their pockets because their bills will be affordable.

More Kenyans will also be connected to the national power grid. According to Kenya’s economic blue print, the country must generate 15,000MW in the next 20 years, if it is to realise its 2030 Vision.

At present, electricity generation in Kenya produces only 1,350MW, a situation that has led to frequent power blackouts due to rising demand.

In Baringo, pastoralists have been asking for new abattoirs and refrigeration plants for preserving meat to reduce their losses during drought and with enough power that might become possible.

Bee-keeping is another business that generates wealth for most residents of Baringo, and as Mr Isaac Kiben who is among those involved in the honey trade observes they only require a factory and good facilities to process the product for market.

Also Baringo could become a big producer of food if irrigation in lower parts of Marigat could be improved. Currently, farmers grow maize and other crops using irrigation waters from the rivers Perkerra.

What is lacking is enough power to irrigate farms using sprinklers instead the old furrow irrigation.

Baringo is the only county in Kenya with a factory for aloe vera. Baringo Bio-Enterprise was built using funds from the European Union in 2006 but lacks modern machines to extract the sap of the plant used for making soaps and shampoos.

Aloe vera plant grows wild in Marigat, Mogotio and Koibatek and residents believe it could turn around their economy if they can equip the factory. At the moment they extract the sap by boiling the plant using charcoal and firewood.

The geothermal wells will provide Baringo with enough power to run its own industries.