TOPIC 'Geothermal Energy' on Dec 10, 2008 (CET)
Volcanic Activity Parlayed Into Geothermal And Tourism Success
Comoros is located off the eastern edge of Africa, between Mozambique and Madagascar. It is an island nation and the third smallest nation in Africa by land mass. It has a population of almost 800,000, which is one of the densest populations on the continent. It also has a volcano, Karthala, which is one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, and which the island nation could use to its advantage.
Recently, a U.N.-sponsored conference was held on the hills of the great volcano. The discussion put forth the ideas that the power of Karthala could be turned into something positive for this little island in the Indian Ocean. The notion that the power of the volcano could be harnessed and used for the good of the island’s inhabitants instead of only the fear received from the volcano at its outbursts and eruptions provides optimism and hope for the nation.
Karthala provides enormous economic potential for the country when calculated to be used as a geothermal source of energy and also a model for eco-tourism. The volcano could turn out to be a huge asset and saving grace for the nation’s economy, which has been affected, along with the rest of the globe, in the most recent financial turmoil.
The president of the Federation of Comoros, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, attended the three-day conference by the U.N. and was very supportive and enthusiastic of these new goals set for the volcano. President Sambi is looking forward to finding renewable energy options from the geothermal reserves lying underneath Karthala and turning that energy into a positive change and experience for the citizens of Grande Comoros Island. It would be a wonderful transformation to be able to utilize the power of the volcano, which has been destructive to the island for centuries, and use it for the good of the country and its people. The last major eruption of the Karthala was in 1997 when Singani village was annihilated by the volcano’s forceful impact. The years 2005 and 2006 also saw lava flowing from the volcano.
Sherry Irvin
on behalf of the
BascoTec Internet Limited
Technologie Park 13
33100 Paderborn
Germany
TAGS: land mass, active volcanoes, indian ocean, volcano eruptions, economic potential, geothermal source, geothermal energy, geothermal reserves,
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