TOPIC 'Geothermal Energy' on Jan 16, 2009 (CET)
Seismic Tools Reduce Risk Of Drilling For Geothermal Sources
Potential for power from geothermal sources is wide-ranging and ever-present in many regions. The one potential problem with utilizing a geothermal source is the expense of drilling to find out exactly where it is situated. New seismic tools are now available to locate geothermal veins more easily. With this new technique, companies don’t have to be as concerned about the cost of drilling and finding nothing.
Using these new drilling techniques, tremendous geothermal activity has been located in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. Near Nairobi, Kenya, high pressure steam veins have been pinpointed. Many wells are estimated to generate between four and five megawatts of power each. One site is thought to be capable of producing eight megawatts.
Global Environmental Facility (GEF) CEO Monique Barbut stated that the geothermal potential in the Rift Valley could be a minimum of 7,000 MW. East Africa has 12 countries to provide electricity for and the population keeps expanding; thus, the needs keep growing.
Utilizing geothermal sources to produce power begins underground with water accumulating in a large, heated reservoir. The superheated water is brought to the surface via a pump and, depending on the temperature of the water, it can be applied to different uses. In the case of the African Rift Valley, the water is heated approximately 2 to 3 km below the ground surface. This is ideal for the water to appear at the surface as steam. The steam is then used to cause turbines to move, producing energy.
The Rift Valley extends from Madagascar to the Red Sea. In this area, massive amounts of energy below the surface are pulling at the continental plates, causing “rifts.” Kenya has had a geothermal plant for 25 years, and it is capable of producing 115 MW. That figure is projected to be 10 percent of the Kenya’s electricity needs. The addition of more locations of geothermal activity is a welcome relief to the African people, especially as another main source for their energy needs comes from hydro resources, and the country has been experiencing low rainfall amounts.
New inventions for better detection of underground geothermal sources is also welcome news to investors looking for more stable data to base their investments on.
Sherry Irvin
on behalf of the
BascoTec Internet Limited
Technologie Park 13
33100 Paderborn
Germany
TAGS: geothermal sources, seismic tools, geothermal veins, drilling techniques, geothermal activity, producing megawatts, geothermal potential, renewable energy,
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