Kenya could see the establishment of a regional geothermal hub to serve as a center of excellence if the UNEP goes forward with plans under consideration.
During a panel on renewable energy during the German Week, UNEP Program Manager ARGeo Dr Meseret Zemedkun said Kenya was successfully embracing renewable energy sources making it an exemplary country in the use of geothermal power in Africa and the West.
“We are considering Kenya as the main hub of the African region in terms of capacity building of geothermal technology. This is also the main achievement because they have built a very good experience and capacity. They can share their best practices with the rest of the world,†she said.
The government’s commitment in supporting geothermal technology is also demonstrated in the sound national scale of the budget allocated to the project as observed by Dr Zemedkun.
“It is really not common in any other African country. You can see the government is committed and allocates the funds for geothermal resources,†she said.