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Geothermal potential in Malawi identified at 21 key hot springs

Karonga, Lake Malawi, Malawi, Africa (source: flickr/ andresfib, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 20 Eyl 2010

The UN Environmental Program indicates a rich potential for geothermal power development in the East African country of Malawi, with 21 key hot springs having been reported in the region of Chitipa-Karonga down to its southern region.

As already reported in an article on the potential for geothermal development in Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi, a recent article talks about the specific potential for East African country Malawi.

“An assessment conducted by Unep (United Nations Environmental Programme) as well as the Global Environment Facility has indicated that Malawi has a rich potential for electricity generation of approximately 4,000 MW of electrical energy ready for harnessing along the Rift Valley. Geothermal energy is the power that is extracted from the heat stored inside the earth. If only Malawi could go on to exploit this geothermal energy, the frequent blackouts could be avoided on account of failure by Escom (Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi).

Currently, Escom is generating approximately 260 MW of power as against the suppressed demand running in excess of 300 MW. The report says that 21 key hot springs have been reported under the area of Chitipa-Karonga down to the country’s southern region but has not indicated as to how this energy could be generated. Unep says that almost all known forms of geothermal energy sources in Malawi belong to the convective type.”

There seems to be a certain company already working with the Geological Survey of Malawi on how to exploit the energy,  according to its Director Leonard Kalindekafe.

Source: The Nation, AZOCleantech