Imagine when we start digging for oil we direct the oil company to alternate digging every other well in a prime geothermal spot for us? This could reduce the cost for a comprehensive electrification and industrialization plan. If we combine this with a partnership with Kenya who already have 29% of their power produced from geothermal, we can legitimately electrify within 5 years and have an excess for industry. The cost of maintenance is significantly reduced. No coal or gas to continue operations. Its clean and firm so that means it doesn't depend on the sun or wind while still not polluting. Although the costs are expensive its calculated as a package at the moment. If we can reduce some aspects of that package we can get each 300MW plant at 300-400 million each. For what the Ethiopians spent on their dam($5billion) we can generate about ~4GW. Which isnt as much as them (5GW) but again this is clean and firm and not dependent on drought or water conflicts with Egypt.
Each Geothermal power plant is bespoke and pretty much looks like this
Two holes per well. One well for injecting return air and another receives the heated air/water from the underground magma. Several wells connected together as each well generates about 3-5mw so they have to add a bunch of wells to each flash steamer and direct that steam to one turbine that collectively generates 30-35mw. 5 of which has to run the plant. You have to tag multiple turbines so that means several dozens of wells to get 10 turbines generating ~300MW. Seems complicated but the biggest expense really is digging holes, filling with concrete, and dropping pipe.
To recap: 100 wells, connected to 10 turbines, connected to the power grid generating 300MW. Thats just one power plant. A good 10 of these plants would need 1000 wells. Sound like a lot but heres what one plant in Kenya looks like generating 150-300MW
Here is Kenyas latest plant the Olkaria III;
"According to Kenyan print media, Ormat Technologies Inc. sold 503 gigawatt hours (GWh) to Kenya Power and Lighting Company, earning KES:3.89 billion (US$45 million), in the 12 months ending 30 June 2013.[9]
They built it using Public Private partnership where the government took the risk of digging all the holes while a private company finished it off for 445 million. They're rated for 40-50 years so after the ROI period of about 10 years your golden. There new one Olkaria VII(7) is expected to cost about 250million. See how cheaper and cheaper they get? Tanzania is also getting in on it. Djibouti said they would but idk. Somalia has to act soon. The red portion along north Somalia which is close to the red sea is perfect for such a project! Practically the whole of Somaliweyne is eligable!
Each Geothermal power plant is bespoke and pretty much looks like this
Two holes per well. One well for injecting return air and another receives the heated air/water from the underground magma. Several wells connected together as each well generates about 3-5mw so they have to add a bunch of wells to each flash steamer and direct that steam to one turbine that collectively generates 30-35mw. 5 of which has to run the plant. You have to tag multiple turbines so that means several dozens of wells to get 10 turbines generating ~300MW. Seems complicated but the biggest expense really is digging holes, filling with concrete, and dropping pipe.
To recap: 100 wells, connected to 10 turbines, connected to the power grid generating 300MW. Thats just one power plant. A good 10 of these plants would need 1000 wells. Sound like a lot but heres what one plant in Kenya looks like generating 150-300MW
Here is Kenyas latest plant the Olkaria III;
"According to Kenyan print media, Ormat Technologies Inc. sold 503 gigawatt hours (GWh) to Kenya Power and Lighting Company, earning KES:3.89 billion (US$45 million), in the 12 months ending 30 June 2013.[9]
They built it using Public Private partnership where the government took the risk of digging all the holes while a private company finished it off for 445 million. They're rated for 40-50 years so after the ROI period of about 10 years your golden. There new one Olkaria VII(7) is expected to cost about 250million. See how cheaper and cheaper they get? Tanzania is also getting in on it. Djibouti said they would but idk. Somalia has to act soon. The red portion along north Somalia which is close to the red sea is perfect for such a project! Practically the whole of Somaliweyne is eligable!
