Geothermal Energy in Kenya: Balancing Renewable Progress and Local Impact (presentation)

Overview

Kenya is Africa's leading geothermal producer, supplying a substantial portion of the national grid

Geothermal sites cluster along the East African Rift Valley and are central to Kenya's ambition of achieving 100% clean electricity by 2030

Over 45% of Kenya's electricity comes from geothermal, key to decarbonization and energy security

Why Geothermal Energy Matters

Reliable Baseload Power: Provides continuous generation, stabilizes gids where solar/wind are intermittent

Low-Carbon: Significantly lower lifecycle CO2 emissions than fossil fuels, supports climate change goals

Economic Development: Enables industrial growth and rural electrification through reliable local supply

Leadership in Renewables: Positions Kenya a a continental model for large-scale clean energy development

How Geothermal Energy Works

Geothermal plants harness heat from underground reservoirs

Drilled wells bring high-temperature steam or hot water is brought to the surface, which drive turbines to produce electricity

Reservoir management and reinjection sustain long-term output

Environmental Benefits of Geothermal

GHG Reduction: Displaces coal and diesel, cutting lifestyle emissions substantially

Smaller Land Footprint: Produces more power per hectare than most renewables

Energy Independence: Reduces reliance on imported fuels and exposure to price shocks

Environmental and Health Challenges

While cleaner than fossil fuels, geothermal projects can produce local environmental and health impacts that need active management

Gas emissions (hydrogen sulfide H2S) can cause odour and health risks of unmanaged

Water risks due to potential groundwater contamination without proper casing and monitoring

Land impacts through vegetation loss, soil alteration, and ecosystem disturbance at drill sites

Operational waste must be disposed of safely and responsibly

Strengthened monitoring, emissions control, and robust waste-management systems reduce most of these risks

Social Impacts: Communities and Culture

Large geothermal developments have produced mixed social outcomes

Benefits include infrastructure and jobs, harms include displacement and cultural disruption when resettlement is mishandled

Olkaria Maasai communities as an example gained infrastructure but had their culture and livelihood disrupted by geothermal projects

Construction and operations create local jobs, but skills training remains essential

Meaningful, early engagement and fair compensation between geothermal projects and local communities are critical to positive social impacts

Economic and Policy Context

Public-Private Investment: Government of Kenya with World Bank and private partners drives financing and technical capacity

Installed Capacity: over 950 Mw installed (2023) with ongoing expansion projects to boost capacity and reliability

Policy Support: National energy policy prioritizes renewables, grid modernization, and electrification targets

Goals: Affordable, sustainable, inclusive energy access for households and industry