Kenya looks underground for power, by Ishbel Matheson
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Impala graze among a network of heating pipes. Giraffes nibble at acacias, metres away from a giant power-generating plant.
But the fumes belching from the chimneys are not polluting petrochemical smoke. They are eco-friendly water vapour, which drifts off into the blue sky.
The Ol Karia station is the continent’s biggest geothermal power-generating plant. It takes its name from a nearby volcano, which erupted 150 years ago and is still active.
There are 22 wells across the site, piercing the Earth’s crust, and tapping into rock as hot as 345C deep below the surface.
Water pumped into the well produces steam, which powers the turbines.
Silas Simiyu, Ol Karia’s development director, says: “Since geo-thermal is an indigenous energy source, we should start with what is ours – not with importing these petroleum products.”
Story found here.
Source: BBC News