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GDC incorporates geothermal energy into farming in Nakuru County, Kenya

GDC incorporates geothermal energy into farming in Nakuru County, Kenya Steam pipes at Menengai, Kenya (source: GDC)
Alexander Richter 1 Nov 2018

Geothermal direct use implemented by Kenya's Geothermal Development Company (GDC) is supporting local farming in Nakuru County, providing reliable and cheap electricity, while also heat and steam for greenhouses and food processing.

Kenya’s Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has been working on geothermal direct use and has been pushing forward with several pilot projects. Now farmers in Nakuru County are seeing a direct impact through a partnership between the County’s Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and GDC that fully incorporates geothermal energy into farming in the region as reported today by Hivisasa.

With the use of geothermal beyond electricity, GDC is planning to drill additional wells in densely populated farming areass in the region. Utilising geothermal energy direct, it could be use as a source of heating for greenhouses in milk pasteurization, laundry, leisure and recration.

GDC environment manager Gabriel Wetang’ula said “The expansion will make it easy for the firm and partners to come up with more innovative ways of using steam from the wells,” said Wetang’ula.

GDC is already engaged in a large number of direct use projects, including fish rearing, tomato and capsicum farming among others in Menengai.

Geothermal energy, so the article, is a great tool to boost productivity for farming by reducing diseases and pests, while also cutting back carbon emissions.

Nakuru County CeC for Agriculture Dr Immaculate Maina sees “the collaboration as paramount as it will see local farmers increase their yields and carry out viable value addition projects for their produce.” Reliable and cheap electricity is key to the dairy industry and cooperatives in the region that have struggled largely.

 

Source: Hivisasa