UNEP報、ケニアからナイジェリアまでアフリカ大陸を横切る大地溝帯は地熱エネルギーの宝庫: ソフトエネルギー

UNEP報、ケニアからナイジェリアまでアフリカ大陸を横切る大地溝帯は地熱エネルギーの宝庫

　ケニアなどを縦断するように存在するアフリカ大地溝帯（East Africa’s Rift Valley）に、地熱エネルギーが広く強力に存在していることがUNEPとJEFにより、COP14の関連イベントで発表されたそうです。
　電力をはじめとするさまざまなエネルギー関連のインフラの整備を今後の課題として大きく残しているアフリカにとって大きな可能性を示すプレゼンとなったようです。

-----image : Google Earthキャプチャー画像。[上 : NASAの提供する最新の衛星画像。下 : 通常の雲の画像を読み込んで。いずれも2008/12/16AM1100ごろ収録]-----

（追加情報）
プレスリリース / UNEP,
・Geothermal Electricity Set for Rift Valley Lift-Off in 2009-----Geothermal Energy Rocks!

" Countries across the world, from Guatemala to Papua New Guinea, are beginning to plug into geothermal energy as a new and promising alternative to coal and oil-fired power generation.

The century-old energy technology that taps steam from hot underground rocks is also poised for a massive expansion up East Africa's Rift Valley in the 21st century.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have completed a project testing advanced seismic and drilling techniques in Kenya that has exceeded all expectations.

Wells of steam, able to generate 4-5 MW of electricity and one yielding a bumper amount of 8MW - enough to power about 5,700 homes - have been hit using the new technology.

This could mean a saving of as much as $75 million for the developer of a 70MW installation as well as reduced electricity costs for generators and consumers, experts estimate.

The results, announced at the UN climate convention conference in Poznan, Poland have now paved the way for an international effort in 2009 to expand geothermal up and down the Rift which runs from Mozambique in the South to Djibouti in the North.

The project, funded by the GEF and involving UNEP and the Kenyan power company KenGen, could also transform the prospects and costs for geothermal elsewhere in the world.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said: "Combating climate change while simultaneously getting energy to the two billion people without access to it are among the central challenges of this generation. Geothermal is 100 per cent indigenous, environmentally-friendly and a technology that has been under-utilized for too long".

"There are least 4,000MW of electricity ready for harvesting along the Rift. It is time to take this technology off the back burner in order to power livelihoods, fuel development and reduce dependence on polluting and unpredictable fossil fuels. From the place where human-kind took its first faltering steps is emerging one of the answers to its continued survival on this planet," he added. "

（追加情報）ここまで

参考 : Wikipedia : Great Rift Valley

プレスリリース / Global Environment Facility (GEF),December 9, 2008
・Hot Prospect - Geothermal Electricity Set for Rift Valley Lift-Off in 2009(リンク切れ)-----追加 : United Nations Development Programme
Global Environment Facility

" A century-old energy technology that taps steam from hot underground rocks is poised for a massive expansion up East Africa’s Rift Valley in the 21st century.
The news comes as countries across the world, from Guatemala to Papua New Guinea, are beginning to plug into geothermal energy as a new and promising alternative to coal and oil-fired power generation.
Today the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) announced the completion of project testing advanced seismic and drilling techniques in Kenya that has exceeded all expectations.
Wells of steam, able to generate 4-5 MW of electricity and one yielding a bumper amount of 8MW, have been hit using the new technology.
It could mean a saving of as much as $75 million for the developer of a 70MW installation as well as reduced electricity costs for generators and consumers, experts estimate.
The results, announced at the UN climate convention conference in Poznan, Poland have now paved the way for an international effort in 2009 to expand geothermal up and down the Rift which runs from Mozambique in the South to Djibouti in the North.
The project, funded by the GEF and involving UNEP and the Kenyan power company KenGen, could also transform the prospects and costs for geothermal elsewhere in the world.
.......... "

関連情報、記事
・UN Environment Programme’s Energy Branch

・World Geothermal Power Generation Nearing Eruption- Earth Policy Institute

・地熱エネルギーの宝庫、アフリカ大地溝帯で試験的探査-----AFP BB News,2008/12/12

" 東アフリカに横たわる大地溝帯（Great Rift Valley）では現在、新技術を使った地熱資源探査が試験的に行われているが、この地域に莫大な地熱エネルギーが眠っている可能性が明らかになった。
......... "

・Going geothermal in Kenya-----YouTube : AFP,2008年10月09日

・East African soon to use geothermal energy-----afrol News,12 December

コメント
　産業や都市などの集中的なエネルギーの利用に供するための再生可能エネルギーの中で、水力と地熱の潜在力は、非常に強力なものです。もちろん強い風、力強い地熱エネルギーがそこに存在することが条件ですが、、、。アフリカの東部の地溝帯で地熱エネルギー開発の可能性が調査されたことで、地域の安定と生活基盤、産業基盤の充実に使えることがわかったことは、大きな成果です。

参考

・BGR : African Rift Geothermal Facility (ARGeo)

・GENI : Geothermal Energy in AFRICA

・Hot Geothermal With Cool Rocks-----Peak Energy,January 27, 2008

・Power for Africa: solar hybrid systems for rural electrification / クリッピング The Solarserver(アフリカの太陽光、植物油ハイブリッド発電）-----ソフトエネルギー、2007/03/29