Workshop Magazine Reporting on Climate Change, Nairobi, Kenya

1

A DW Akademie Workshop Magazine

Cow dung makes money

4

Greening AFRICA

2

A few words......

A DW Akademie Workshop Magazine 10-21 June 2013 With financial support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Names of reporters Candiga Jacky Benson

I

n this 21st century, climate change has become a pertinent issue with many scientists projecting serious and even fatal catastrophes if nothing is done to avert the rate at which our climate is changing.

With Africa projected to suffer most from climate change, education and information become a central part of standing up to the challenge.

To this effect, Journalists from East Africa, South Sudan and Namibia had a two weeks training in Nairobi to get acquainted with issues of climate change, environment and how to effectively report on them.

Supported by the German Deutsche Welle Akademie, the journalists were taught about renewable energy, Emissions Rights

Trading, Clean Development Mechanism, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate negotiations and journalistic practices among others.

The team also visited the Olkaria geothermal power plant in Naivasha and a Biogas project in Kiambu to see how East Africa and Africa in general is trying to adapt, mitigate and avert future effects of climate change.

The Greening Africa magazine is an outcome of this training. Inside are insightful articles about geothermal potential in Africa, the role of women in mitigating climate change, the emissions reduction gap for green house gases, info graphics and photo sequences for easy explanation and navigation.

South Sudan

Safia Muhamed Zanzibar

Bozo Jenje Kenya

Mike Kalama Kenya

Makoy Youanes James Kuong South Sudan

Flavia Lanyero Uganda

Agatha Ngotho Kenya

Everline Okewo Kenya

Absalom Shigwedha Namibia

Saada Mbarouk Zanzibar

Editors Dirk Asendorpf Jutta vom Hofe Germany

Design and Layout Tedd Murimi/Ideal Outcomes Ltd.

The Greening Africa Team

Greening AFRICA

3

J

Biogas Good for Local farmers and Global Climate

CANDIGA JACKY BENSON

Biogas project units are introduced on a small scale in Kenya and they could also be a nice project for the neighbouring countries like South Sudan as a newly born nation.

osephine Muthoni is a small farmer in Kiambu County at the River basin in Kikuyu north of Nairobi, Kenya. She is doing quiet well although she lost her husband two years ago due to an accident and she is a mother of three children. She keeps four cattle in zero grazing due the limited land and gets 25 liters of milk every day for the family, selling part of it. And now she also produces her own Biogas.

Biogas is produced by the anaerobic fermentation of organic material such as sewage, municipal waste, plant materials or cow dung.

In the early morning Josephine collects the dung from her cows into a biogas digester where tanks are put underground for fermentation. It is a simple technology carried out by local communities and is adopted from the Action for Food and Production (AFPRO), an India nongovernmental organisation (NGO).

Josephine borrowed 50.000 KShs to set up the little biogas project which costs 80.000 KShs in total; the German Ministry of Environment contributed 30.000 KShs. Within one year she was able to pay back the whole sum. Now, the unit helps her to save money to pay school fees for the children.

Josephine said, burning of firewood as a source of energy will produce black carbon that endangers the atmosphere and is associated with climate change. Besides,

it causes health hazards through the smoke in the kitchen which damages the lungs and the eyes of women and children.

Inspite of the advantages of the biogas units the government has not realized its benefits on the life of the people. “African leaders have not yet paid full attention to sensitize the local population for its development�, says Josephine.

David K. Karanja, executive director for Sustainable Energy Strategies (SES) says, the government should invest in biogas projects in order to provide employment oppor-

80,000 Cost of a biogas plant in Kenya Shillings tunities to the people.

He added that the government is not doing enough to support biogas projects which could help to reduce the emission of carbon dioxides into the atmosphere.

But not only a country like Kenya can benefit from biogas units. Also neighbouring South Sudan has a high level of deforestation and its government has not yet addressed the issue of the black carbon.

However, it has failed to carry out a campaign about the importance of the cow dung which most communities could use to produce biogas, thus alleviating poverty and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Greening AFRICA

t’s a chilly morning in Kikuyu town, 20 kilometres from the city centre and Josephine Muthoni Njoroge tends to her dairy cows unperturbed.

Dressed in gumboots, Muthoni carries on her dairy chore, cleaning the cowshed. She scopes the wet cow dung diligently with her bare hands ensuring that there are no soil particles as she collects the raw material for her bio gas unit.

“I have been able to fully exploit the benefits of dairy farming since 2010 as am also able to get a source of energy and manure besides earning an income from the sale of milk,” says the 45 year old dairy farmer.

The memory of her husband’s death through a road acci-

Cow dung

4

dent two years ago is still fresh in her mind but this has not deterred Muthoni from improving her farm, which is evidence in her two acre land.

She has also worked hard to repay her Sh 50,000 loan from her local church while Sustainable Energy Strategies (SES), the local implementors of the project subsidized the remaining amount of Sh 30,000.

“Though the process of making bio gas is tedious for me, nevertheless I do it every day with the help of my daughter who just cleared her form-four education,” says the mother of three.

Bio gas venture After collecting 50 kilograms of cow dung from the cowshed, using a plastic bucket which is easier to carry, she then adds 50 litres of water and stirs the mixture thoroughly until it is evenly thick before releasing it into an underground tank.

She has gotten used to doing this so she knows just the right amount to put in a designated tank without having to measure.

makes money Improving livelihoods through bio gas

AGATHA NGOTHO

Greening AFRICA

5

In the underground tank, the process of anaerobic fermentation (bacterial action in the absence of air) takes place and after forty days you get two by-products namely bio gas and slurry.

Through a connecting pipe, the gas goes directly to Muthoni’s bio gas cooker in the kitchen, ready for use.

“I use the gas to boil water for bathing and it can cook for two hours continually without going out. You then give it a thirty minute break and the gas is back, this time you can even cook longer,” says the resident of Thataiti village, Kiambu County.

The slurry is used as manure to improve on the farm and also grow nappier grass for her dairy cows. The slurry has higher nutritional value for the plants than the original manure and it does not smell.

According to the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), 68 percent of population in Kenya use biomass as a source of energy as in many other African countries.

The government of Kenya also estimates that up to 95 percent of the energy consumed in rural areas is in form of fuel wood, agricultural residue and animal waste. This contributes to emission of green house gases, deforestation and smoke inhalation problems which can be reduced by the use of bio gas.

Savings for school fees Muthoni starts her day at 3.00 a.m by milking her four cows so that by 4.30 a.m, she is at the local milk dairy station. After that she prepares the cow dung for the bio gas process before embarking on other

Side bar The bio gas project is part of the carbon trade initiative by developing countries seeking to compensate developing countries as a contribution to climate protection.

For the case of Atmosfair, airline passengers make a voluntary climate protection payment based on the amount of emissions they create. Atmosfair then uses these contributions to develop renewable energies in developing countries where energy is a big challenge.

In this way, Atmosfair saves CO2 that would otherwise be created by fossil fuels in these countries. Meanwhile, local people benefit by gaining access to clean energy which in return contributes towards better education and creation of employment.

chores.

On average, Muthoni gets 25 litres of milk per day which she sells to the dairy milk station at Sh 38. It is not much but she utilises all the resources from her dairy cows including having bio gas and fertiliser.

She relies heavily on her dairy farming as a source of income and the bio gas unit has helped her save approximately Sh 5,000 a month that she would have otherwise used to buy charcoal, firewood and the conventional gas.

“I have been able to reduce on my expenditure and save a lot of money which I use to pay school fees for my children,” Muthoni explains adding that she is now

the bread winner.

According to David Karanja, SES executive director who works closely with farmers at the grassroot, a bio gas unit such as that of Muthoni costs about Sh 80,000 while a bigger one could cost from Sh 95,000 upwards.

So far only five dairy farmers in the area have installed a bio gas unit, as many cannot afford the Sh 50,000 required to have a bio gas unit installed. However, Karanja has been working towards encouraging more farmers through holding regular meetings at the local milk stations.

“Though the project no longer subsidises the installation amount, one can get a bank loan so long as you have 10 percent of the total amount. You can use the money saved from buying firewood or charcoal to pay up for the loan,” Karanja explains.

The biogas project is funded by Atmosfair, a German initiative of environment and development organisation that is also supported by the German Federal Environment Agency.

This is in partnership with the Action for Food and Production (AFPRO) an Indian nongovernmental organisation who trained local masons to build biogas units independently. Karanja says the installations are constructed using local products hence giving employment to the youth and local people.

Women can be leaders in renewable energy Everbody knows that cows have many advantages: in providing meat, milk and skin for drums. But who knows that they can also supply cooking gas derived from their dung?In Kiambu County, Kenya, for example there are female diary farmers who successfully produce biogas from cow dung and educate other women on the production of renewable energy.

The women in the village who have started using the project in the production of energy have

been shown to enjoy what they have achieved from it.

They take pride in the profession and say that they can significantly reduce the consumption of firewood and kerosene by using biogas.

Environmental Conservation Besides, they are now supporting the conservation of the environment. The women love to advise the community on how to reduce the environmental damage caused by deforestation.

They urge others to stop using firewood and join women groups in order to get loans to start up cattle rearing which will enable them to benefit from this energy of cow dung for individuals and even communities for all.

If women in developing produce a lot of bio gas they can sell it to others and reduce the excessive consumption of firewood or electricity where they spend a lot of money. They will also reduce the side effects of wood by reducing the emission

of green houses gas with its bad impact on climate change.

The government should support community members who have already established such projects by giving them financial help to boost them.

Those who have not got the expertise should join their colleagues so that they can adopt this technology and protect the environment for our own advantage and also for the future generations. ~ By Saada Mbarouk

Greening AFRICA

6

“I don’t have to buy firewood any more” Josephine Muthoni produces her own Biogas for Cooking SAADA MBAROUK Journalist, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation

B

iogas, a renewable energy, is a substitute to firewood that has negative health effects to women in their rural homesteads.

Josephine Muthoni, a resident nearby Kikuyu in Kiambu County, Kenya is an example of a rural entrepreneur that has benefited from the technology.

Briefly tell us: How does the biogas project work?

MUTHONI: I keep livestock that assists in biogas production. I collect cow dung and mix it with water. The mixture produces a gas that helps us in providing energy for cooking.

Muthoni, where did you get the technology?

MUTHONI: I learned from Mr David Karanja, the executive director of Sustainable Energy Strategy who was constructing the project for other people around and we got interested. My husband’s friend told us more about the details. About three years ago we started using this renewable energy.

Are there any challenges in biogas production?

MUTHONI: There are no serious challenges. Only the fact that the work with cow dung projects me as a dirty woman.

How does the process work?

MUTHONI: To start with, we looked for young people to assist in the construction.

We did not have a lot to do since Mr Karanja brought the raw materials for the project. Though, I paid Sh 50,000, Mr Karanja added the balance of KSh 40,000.

Describe the venture benefits.

MUTHONI: I don’t have to buy firewood any more. The biogas project has indeed helped me to save about KSh 14,000 that helps me to pay school fees. You know, I lost my husband two years ago and now I am the only breadwinner of the family. Moreover, there is no smoke in the kitchen that used to itch my eyes and I am glad about the improved situation.

Do you use the biogas for your own consumption or

Women in this area envy me and they want to emulate whatever am doing .They have realized that even without a husband am capable to raise the family alone. for sale?

MUTHONI: At the moment the quantity is low and I use it for my own cooking.

But I have started alternative projects like vermin compost that in future will make me earn some more money by selling the compost as very good furtilizer.

Did you share your biogas experience with other women?

MUTHONI: Surely, women in this area envy me and they want to emulate whatever I’m doing. They have realized that even without a husband I am capable to raise the family alone. This

has motivated them. Even yesterday, some asked me where they can buy the livestock.

Have you trained your children on this biogas technology?

MUTHONI: They all understand the technology. The youngest of all is the most vibrant, he is always at the site trying to clean the cow shed.

How has the community received you after realizing that you gain a lot out of the project?

MUTHONI: They are proud of me because of my efforts.

Is the technology wide spread in Kiambu County, along the Nairobi River?

MUTHONI: The technology has not penetrated much in homes because of financial constraints. I was able to borrow money from a group at the Catholic Church that I repaid in a year. Others are afraid to borrow due to the fact that they lack the means to pay back.

Do you have a word of advice to fellow women?

MUTHONI: I’m telling them to be commited.They should not be over reliant to their husbands. They can devote themselves and start the project. From my experience am able to move on after the demise of my husband.

Greening AFRICA

7

The Cow Livestock Shed Shed

Cow dung collection

Biogas Generation in Kiambu with Josephine Njoroge PHOTOS | BOZO JENJE

(Inset) Gas valve from tank)

Mixing.

Fermentation produces gas used for cooking.

Impact of sludge on crops

Greening AFRICA

8

Socio- economic BENEFITS OF BIOGAS MIKE KALAMA Nairobi

T

APART from reducing the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the use of biogas, a gas produced from cow dung, has several socioeconomic benefits.

he benefits of using the gas for cooking have been visible in Gikambura village, Kiambu County, in Kenya since the Sustainable Energy Strategies (SES) Project was started 3 years ago.

Ms Josephine Muthoni, a widow, was one of the five farmers who were sponsored by Atmosfair, a German based environment and development organization, to start units which produce biogas from cow dug.

This project which is yet to be rolled out to other farmers, has created employement, reduced poverty and improved the health of residents who have adopted it.

The mother of three says the biogas project has enabled her save the money which she used to buy firewood. She now uses this money to pay her childrens’ school fees and also to fend for her family’s basic needs since her husband died 2 years ago.

Since she no longer carries heavy loads of firewood and is no longer choked by firewood smoke, she says she also saves the money she used on her regular visits to the hospital.

“Since I started using biogas about 3 years ago, my health has improved because I dont carry firewood and I dont cook in a smokey kitchen,” she says.

On average, she says she used to spend Ksh5,000 on firewood every month. She admits that she also had to bribe local policemen in order to gain entry into the nearby government forest in order to fetch

firewood.

Ms Muthoni says she uses the cowdung sludge emitted from the biogas tank as manure on her small garden, which in turn gives her fresh organic vegetables.

According to the SES executive director, Mr David Karanja, the biogas project provides a solution to many problems facing developing countries like poverty, unemployment, hunger and disease. He says the technology is cheap and does not require a large parcel of land.

Mr Karanja added that several youth from the area got casual jobs during the construction of the units.

“The small biogas set like Josphine’s costed us Sh80,000 but a bigger

Since I started using biogas about 3 years ago, my health has improved because I dont carry firewood and I dont cook in a smokey kitchen, Josephine Muthoni

one can cost upto Ksh95,000. Since the construction was done locally, so we also created jobs,” Mr Karanja said.

He says the households which were sponsored to start the biogas project have significantly cut down their expenditure on cooking which they divert to other uses.

“This technology can also be commercialised and used in electricity generation especially in agricultural countries,” he said.

Greening AFRICA

9

A pedestrian and motor cyclist with motorists on the busy Milimani Road in Nairobi.

PHOTOS | BOZO JENJE

It is not a rosy picture since countries lack commitment.

However, the emission gap can still be closed but urgent action is needed Dr Sunday Leonard , UNEP Special Assistant to the chief Scientist

CLOSING THE GAP

BOZO Jenje

A United Nations Environmental body is positive that green house gas emissions can still be reduced to meet global climate targets.

U

nited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) urge countries to undertake simple technology measures to cut down the discharge of green house gas emission in order to make sure the global average temperatures does not increase by more than 2 degree centigrades.

UNEP Special Assistant to the chief Scientist Dr Sunday Leonard said 55 scientists from more than 20 countries reported that green house gas emission levels were already today 14 percent higher than those needed in 2020.

The Nigerian Scientist, Dr Leonard said instead of countries reducing the levels, the discharge of carbondioxide, the key green house gas, has increased in the atmosphere by 20 percent since 2000.

“It is not a rosy picture since countries lack commitment.

However, the emission gap can still be closed but urgent action is needed,” he said.

To avert the alarming trend, Dr Leonard said a swift action was needed to ensure that the global emissions do not reach 58 gigatonnes in 2020.

He said earlier assessment reports on the emission gap had shown that emissions need to average at around 44 gigatonnes in 2020 to lay the path for bigger reductions.

“The emission gap report 2012 points out that even if the most ambitious level of pledges and commitment are implemented by the countries and under the strictest set of rules there will be a gap of 8 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide by 2020,”he said.

Dr Leonard said in the report, preliminary economic assessments estimated that inaction would trigger costs to be at least 10 to 15 percent higher

after 2020 in case the emission reductions were delayed into the coming decades.

“The longer you wait the higher the gap will be,” he said.

To overcome the crisis, he affirmed that sectoral approach would assist to bridge the gap with the existing technologies and policies.

“Through energy efficiency in buildings, power generation and transport and investment in renewable energies a tremendous reduction of gases can be achieved,” he said adding that the building sector in 2050 could consume 30 percent less electricity globally compared to 2020.

On sustainable transportation, Dr Leonard calls for individual action and a lifestyle change by using buses, cycling, walking instead of the four wheel drives fuel guzzler alongside rail freight and inland waterways.

Greening AFRICA

10

Ovahimba are among the world’s indigenous people most vulnerable to climate change.

ABOVE: Because they live in arid and semi-arid areas , Namibia’s indigenous people such as Ovahimba and Ovazemba are set to be hard hit by climate change as it is expected to bring extreme weather in such areas, leading to water stress.

In danger of climate change

N

ABOVE: San tribesmen

ABSALOM SHIGWEDHA

amibia’s indigenous Ova-

himba and Ovazemba people are currently witnessing a number of deaths of their livestock as Namibia suffers from a severe drought, which scientists believe the country will experience more due to climate change.

So far, the drought has affected over 300,000 rural Namibians. Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba has in May this year declared a national emergency due to the devastating drought that has already killed about 4000 larger and small livestock, with Kunene region the hardest hit.

Last year Kunene region was declared drought stricken and there has been no

improvement as very little rain was received in the region this year. Namibia’s indigenous people, like in other parts of the world - lives in harsh and dry areas and according to the UN-funded International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change will accelerate extreme weather conditions in such areas, thus making the indigenous people more vulnerable to climate change and the Kunene region is one such areas.

Professor Oliver Ruppel, a Namibian senior lecturer in environmental law at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, said the reason for this is that they live in arid and semi-arid areas which will be hit by drought and water stress due to climate change.

However, a recent study a Namibian NGO, the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) on the impacts of climate change on the Topnaar and

Greening AFRICA

11

the Hai//om (two other indigenous communities in Namibia), have found that these two communities have a vast traditional environmental know on how to survive the impacts of climate change and should be encouraged to use it.

For example, the Topnaar farms with small livestock like goats as they are rather undemanding compared to cows or donkeys and harvesting the drought resistant !nara plant.

Other groups scientists say will also vulnerable climate change are women and children.

Ruppel said climate change will lead to health risks through malnutrition and infant mortality.

On 19 June 2013, a Namibian daily newspaper, New Era, reported that drought has exacerbated malnutrition in Kunene region with 50 people – mainly children hospitalized at the district hospitals of Outjo, Opuwo and Khorixas.

Ruppel’s views ties in well with a recent statement by an environmental scientist at the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that indigenous people, women and children are likely to be more vulnerable to climate change. Dr Sunday Leonard said indigenous people’s livelihoods depends hugely on the natural resources in their environments and their livelihoods are threatened by climate change as it is set to lead to biodiversity loss.

Food shortage According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said Leonard, 58 per cent of the women are involved in fishing activities and food farming but, climate change is set to result in the reduction of global fish species as well as in the reduction of agricultural productions, as climate change will intensify dry spells.

Therefore, women will be struggling to adequately feed their families due to climate change. He added that because women are also the ones mainly involved in cooking food for their families, they are also exposed to extreme high levels of smoke (black carbon), which could land in them different ailments.

At the last climate conference held in Doha, Qatar last year, the Chairperson of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment, Terezya Huvisa, also stressed that in case of disaster strikes, which climate experts said will be more frequent due to climate change, it is always women and children who suffer the most as many men are in many cases elsewhere looking for jobs or other survival opportunities while women and children are home-bound.

She said last year when Tanzania was hit by heavy floods, women and children were the most affected.

We have to change our lifestyles

MIKE KALAMA

Countries have been urged to stop polluting the environment but the truth is that the war against climate change has to start from us as individuals. This means that we have to change our lifestyles immediately if this war is to be won.

First and foremost, we must avoid food wastage by making sure that we finish the food we serve on our plates. By doing so we will save the enegy that goes into the production and transportion of food as well as cut down the harmful gases emitted by foods which are left to rot.

Also instead of driving, people should get used to boarding buses or trains so

Provinding separate lanes for buses will attract many people who want to avoid heavy traffic they normally exerience when they use their own vehicles.

Living closer to places of work so that people can walk instead of driving is another cheaper option of cutting down emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases produced by vehicles.

For example government institutions and private companies can provide their staff with affordable housing close to their places of work.

This will also boost workers’ savings.

Industrial emissions, which contribute the most to the accumulation of harmful

A lot has been said about climate change. According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the emmission of greenhouse gases which is rising globally, has affected all countries and particularly developing countries which are the most vulnerable to climate change. that the emissions of harmfull gases can be minimised.

For example if 30 people board a bus, the gases that would have been produced by 30 cars is replaced by the gas emitted by one bus.

Since the public transport system is not attractive to most people, governments have a role to play in improving it so that more people can be attracted to board buses or trains instead of driving their own cars.

gases into the atmophere, will be minimised if we all change our lifestyles and stop pointing fingers to other countries.

But if it continues to be business as usual then climate change is going to come with a heavy financial, social and environmental burden.

UNEP says that if the status-quo is maintained, costs caused by climate change will increase drastically after 2020.

Greening AFRICA

12

FLAVIA Lanyero

How geothermal electricity is produced

1

Rain water in the catchment area percolates into the ground and comes close to a hot rock. (Geothermal energy is derived from heat within the earth).

The rock heats up the water to very high temperatures. The process is repeated several times which creates pressure underground.

2

A production well is drilled into the ground and comes into contact with the hot water. Steam is harvested through a pipe which brings it to the surface of the earth. (Theoretically you can drill anywhere on earth but being in an escarpment is an added advantage since the heat source is not too deep).

3

The steam passes through a separator where water, gases and steam are separated. Then all the steam goes to the turbine, spinning the turbine blades connected to an electrical generator to produce electricity.

4 5

Some of the gases released during this process include hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and small amounts of carbon dioxide from running the plant.

The steam which is not used up is condensed is then re-injected back into the ground to be reheated- making it a renewable energy.

Greening AFRICA

13

Geothermal energy and power utilization beyond Kenya

EVERLINE OKEWO

A

ccording to Mr Henry Wesula, senior operations Engineer at Olkaria Geothermal power station located at outskirts of Naivasha town, Kenya has the potential of generating up to 10,000MW of electricity from this single source of renewable energy.

Currently Olkaria the largest power plant of its kind in Africa has harnessed about 167MW of its total energy potential from its three units.

Based on the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), 2011 Reports, geothermal energy accounts for about 15% of Kenya’s current power generation.

Mr Wesula said many areas located along North and western Rift are very rich in geothermal

1260 Amount of power in MW expected to be produced

by Olkaria Geothermal Plant in 2018 after the Ksh 134 billion investment.

Geothermal power is one of the under exploited natural resources potentials in Kenya yet it could represent an interesting opportunity for the sustainable development of energy in the country. power potential but is completely untapped due to financial constraints and lack of modern infrastructure. ‘‘Geothermal developments require huge upfront investment at the initial stages and this has posed a great challenge in terms of natural energy utilization’’, he said.

He added that the power plant had its expansion paralyzed for a period of 11 years since 1992.

This was as a result of lack of initial capital investment.

Mr Wesula also said the pow-

er station could not venture into virgin projects of utilizing geothermal energy potentials in the anticipated areas due to many setbacks such as expertise and finance.

Among the areas mapped for rich geothermal potential include areas around Lake Magadi, lake Bogoria, Baringo, Korosi and Lake Turkana among others.

However the $1.6billion (sh134billion) investment into the expansion of the Olkaria Geothermal Plant is already partly under construction.

It should produce about 1260MW by 2018.

Geothermal energy has globally been encouraged by UN agencies because of its low carbon emissions which have significantly low impact on climate change.

Geothermal is the natural heat from the earth’s interior stored in rocks and water within the earth’s crust. It is renewed by the constant flow of heat from the earth’s interior to the surface. Also the water and steam extracted from the wells is being reinjected after its use in the power plant.

The heat creates molten rock or magma beneath the surface crust. Conversely, Volcanoes, geysers is a clear manifestation of the great reservoir of heat which lies within and beneath the earth’s crust.

During the process, the magma heats the surrounding rock structures and when underground water comes into contact with the heat steam is formed.

The energy then can be extracted by drilling wells to tap concentrations of steam at high pressures and at depths shallow enough to be economically justifiable.

The steam is then led by steel pipes to drive electricity-generating generators.

Geothermal power exploitation has numerous advantages over other energy sources. Among the benefits of geothermal power are the near zero emissions.

Enhance resilience The 2011 report by UNEP shows that geothermal energy has proven to enhance resilience to climate change impacts thus recommended for countries which are adversely affected by the weather patterns like drought and floods.

A study conducted two years ago by geologists on the eastern Baringo lowlands indicated the potential of geothermal energy to reduce climate change impacts, particularly the detrimental impacts associated with recurrent droughts, which were causing water levels and flow to fall below critical thresholds for hydropower production.

The study concluded that the use of geothermal energy will also improve food security, create employment, reduce drought-related losses and provide alternative source of income streams.

Greening AFRICA

14

Power from the Earth

Geothermic potential in Tanzania

H

igh cost of electric power has pushed countries globally to develop alternative sources of energy.

Today Tanzania’s electrical grid depends on hydro power.

In future the focus will be on a mix of different energy sources, including geothermal power.

This will help to prevent shortfalls of electricity supply and support environmental goals.

So far neighbouring Kenya is the only East African country with an existing geothermal power plant, called Olkaria and based in the Rift Valley. It is owned by power generation company Kengen and has a capacity of 167 MW that will be expanded to 1260 MW over the next years.

This means that in future geothermal energy will cover a significant part of the total energy requirements of Ken-

ya. Besides, this will lead to a reduction on cost of power in the country.

Tanzania, a member of the East African region has an identified geothermal potential of 650 MW which could contribute to the stabilisation of energy supply and prices.

Kengen Senior Operations Manager Henry Wesula said Tanzania already had sent a delegation from the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) to Olkaria for fact finding on the geothermal technology.

Transfer of knowledge In the transfer of technology, Mr Wesula said Kenya has cooperated well with Tanzania resource people and experts, in training them in getting knowledge and skills on geothermal production.

“Through efforts from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) neighbouring countries that include

400 MW of Geothermal Energy lie untapped in Uganda A geophysical survey by KenGen, a Kenyan Geothermal energy production company revealed that Uganda has an estimated 400 MW of untapped geothermal energy, mostly locally in the western part of the country where the Great Rift Valley and escarpment is located.

According to Henry Wesula, the Senior Operations Manager KenGen, not only would

exploration of geothermal energy provide the country with alternative energy sources but also would help the country achieve its vision of becoming an industrialised country in the next decades.

New energy sources “We already know that Sudan and Egypt are against building dams along the Nile, in the event of a problem there

Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania were able to benefit from trainings that equipped them with skills”, he said.

Geothermal power production, he said, would also contribute positively to the targets of international climate change policies. Generation of renewable energy and geothermal energy was expected to qualify for the provision of carbon credits within the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto-Protocol.

The CDM allows a country with an emission-reduction obligation to implement an emission-reduction project in developing countries. Such projects can earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits.

“Once attained this will reduce the cost of power to the end user”, the Kengen manager said.

While Tanzania intends to diversify its country’s energy mix and is looking for alternative

will be no other source of energy for Uganda.” Mr Wesula said adding: “Any country that wants to be industrialised can’t afford to have power rationing.”

He however, said that Uganda’s electricity demand can currently be met by Bujagali Dam, Owen falls and the upcoming Karuma dams coupled with the discovery of oil if drilled.

“Depending on the environmental considerations, Uganda can choose to exploit oil or geothermal energy or both,” Mr Wesula said.

In an interview with the East African Business Week early this year, Mr. Vincent Kato, the Principal Geologist at Geolog-

SAFIA MUHAMED sources of energy, a recent survey indicates that the northern volcanic province of Kilimanjaro, Meru, Ngorongoro and the Rungwe Volcanic province in southwest Tanzania were the potential areas for exploration.

According to Mr Wesula, geothermal would provide reliable power supply that can even be sold to the neighbouring countries national grids. “Because geothermal power is cost effective, reliable, sustainable and environmental friendly the East Africa countries will enjoy the benefits”, he said.

The Stats In Africa, Kenya is the leading producer of geothermal energy producing at a capacity of 167 MW followed by Ethiopia at 8 MW. According to Mr Wesula, the current 10 percent contribution of geothermal energy has helped the country curb power rationing and is cheap to operate.

ical Survey and Mines Department said that Uganda is looking at the middle of this year as the time when the country will ascertain the geothermal potential and areas to be drilled.

He said they had identified sites and four had been developed and that the country was in the process of formulating the Geothermal Policy and Geothermal Act so as to regulate activity in the sector.

FLAVIA LANYERO Reporter, Daily Monitor

Greening AFRICA

15

Olkaria geothermal energy plants I and II in Naivasha in the Rift Valley region of Kenya.

South Sudan needs to diversify its power generations MAKOY YOUANES KUONG (Nairobi) The writer (below) samples the hot spring pool at the Olkaria Geothermal station.

nnse of power co lower the expe of n tio ifica sumption. o obtain divers rse energy tion in South ra ne ge nya with its dive gy er Ke en t s ed ne country acted investmen sources has attr Sudan, the new to ed il ne ss ld fo ou on w o pendency h Sudan to ut So d l an na tio cto move from de na sour g a reliable mix of energy y do so by buildin lit bi la fuels alone to a ai av sure the power grid to en e es. s of fit save it from th ne d be an e th ity ic nt een - of electr Having lear tw un be co a on g om in fr go l ergy mix political turmoi building an en er water h Sudan should n countries ov ut si So Ba a, ile ny N Ke e e th try lik n tio t a diversifica control. similarly adop has , to meet power gh the country ou a matter of fact th As strategy al es su fant nation redown the oil is mand in the in de e not yet settled gic plan from th rpart Sudan. quires a strate trucrwith its counte ns he co ot e ge th t nd es cas larg ment to atte rn ve go Kenya has Afri ed the propos at ion, located in of power plants n tio ilizing mal power stat en e th e and also mob on. Currently, Fulla in Nimul rs to t Rift Valley regi no ou do ab es om id fr karia prov resources al ci an fin n a ra ergy plant in Ol ny ergy gene tio consumed in Ke re the other en cu se al 8% of electricity ay rm he rw ch as geot nsion is unde possibilities su and a large expa recast fo d an as for electricity m og de bi d ak power an to meet the pe sustainability. by 2030. n needs to prilearn from this n da Su h ut The new Natio So re Can af gy sector as a co provides an oritize the ener tal en to technology that n pm lo tio ve lu so de e g stainabl for achievin e lu va ss ro fordable and su s ac el partnering ency on fossil fu targets through ors reduce depend urse co Of s? bring the invest sk to ri t en th the contin g in and public heal in m n, tio uc sting in constr ve in to t en it can. developm South Sudan d infrastructure an ing us The Republic of om fr n g Natio relinquish from change the youn rne should have to ge ac er br w po em n oder el fuels by fire wood to m reliance on dies n of electricity tio ca ifi rs ve n. di atio ing on a rial eet both indust production to m ill w at demands th and household

T

Greening AFRICA

16

Three polar bears trying to fit on one tiny melting ice floe in a warming Arctic.

Visit to the Environment of Environmental Policy Makers MAKOY YOUANES KUONG Nairobi

T

he United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) headquarters sit on a beautifully landscaped campus in Nairobi.

Artists from all continents have donated their works trying to support UNEP’s efforts in taking a leading role in the global campaign to tackle climate change and conservation of the environment.

Land mines pose a serious threat not only to human beings but also to wildlife like elephants.

These remains of a forest fire in France remind of the dangers of fire for ecosystems and the atmosphere.