UK firms are lining up at the chance to exploit Tanzania’s renewable energy sector, including solar, wind, and geothermal power. With over half of the country’s chunk of power generated via hydro, 19 British companies are in discussions to help propel the country’s power generation by utilizing its renewable energy options.
The British Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said on a one-day visit to Tanzania, “With gas discoveries, Tanzania has huge potential for renewable energy which is yet to be fully tapped.” He added that the British firms had significant expertise in supplying global technology and services that would aid Tanzania’s local companies.
Tanzania has been pushing small-scale wind turbines to help rural communities, but the government recently identified areas that would be conducive to large-scale wind operations. And although geothermal energy has yet to be tapped, the country could stand to gain a significant power boost with the source. Drilling one geothermal well could cost up to $5 million; however, with Tanzania’s hydrocarbon sector the equipment to carry out such explorations is readily available. In the Luhoi geothermal prospect in the Lower Rufiji Basin, the First Energy Co. Ltd. has estimated that 100 MW of energy could be produced from the area’s geothermal reserves.
From studies, the highest potential for geothermal power exploration in Tanzania is in the southwest, the Rungwe volcanics and Rukwa Basin. The second highest project zone is in the north with Lake Natron and Arusha-Kilimanjaro area.
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