The Ethiopian government has granted a permit to Canadian company 4th Resource to carry out geothermal surveys in two areas. In order to develop this renewable energy in Ethiopia, the studies that are planned will measure the intensity of the geothermal resource.
Geothermal energy’s proportion in Ethiopia’s energy mix is something the country wants to increase. As part of this policy, the Ethiopian Ministry of Mines is granting a geothermal reconnaissance permit to 4th Resource, a business with headquarters in Calgary, Canada. “This is an important milestone for 4th Resource as it moves towards its goal of becoming an independent energy developer with a minimal environmental footprint,” says the Canadian company.
In the Dire Dawa Administrative Council and Somali Regional State regions of eastern Ethiopia, the license covers a region of 1,948 km2. With this license, 4th With the intention of entering the exploration and development phases, the resource will carry out the evaluation and qualification of previously identified geothermal resources. The license was granted in accordance with new geothermal regulations that the Ethiopian government issued in 2019 with the intention of promoting and facilitating the growth of geothermal energy in the nation.
Ethiopia has a wealth of geothermal resources thanks to the 1,000 km long Ethiopian portion of the Great Rift Valley, which runs from the Turkana Depression in the south to the Afar Depression in the northwest at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. According to Shaharin A.’s book Clean Energy Opportunities in Tropical Countries, the potential of this East African nation is actually estimated at 10,000 MWe. The Springer publication of Sulaiman in January 2021.
With an 8 MWe installed power capacity, Ethiopia has already begun to utilize its geothermal potential. In the southern region of Oromia, geothermal energy development is ongoing at a number of locations, including Tulu Moye, Corbetti, and Aluto Langano. Private businesses, such as France’s Meridiam, Iceland’s Reykjavik Geothermal, Britain’s InfraCo Africa, and Britain’s Berkeley Energy, are developing these projects, which are currently in the exploration and construction phases.
Reference: https://www.afrik21.africa/en/ethiopia-4th-resource-to-assess-geothermal-resources-in-two-regions/
