Officials stunned after tapping into well of limitless power source: 'An age of vibrant ... energy'
In a remote stretch of Kenya's Great Rift Valley, a single well has blown past expectations, releasing enough geothermal steam to power 22 megawatts of electricity.
That's more than four times what a typical well produces and a critical step in the country's race to expand renewable energy.
According to the Kenya News Agency, the well sits in the Silali field, part of a cluster of volcanic zones in the Baringo-Silali-Paka region that has been under development for the past seven years.
It's now the highest-producing well in the area — and this is only the beginning. GDC plans to extract 300 megawatts from this region alone by 2028, with 100 megawatts each from Silali, Korosi, and Paka. The first phase of this project is expected to connect to the grid within three years.
"The viability of Silali geothermal field will usher Kenya into an age of vibrant geothermal energy," said GDC managing director and chief executive officer Paul Ngugi, per the outlet.
So why does this matter? In short: reliability. Unlike solar and wind, which fluctuate with the weather, geothermal energy runs on the Earth's constant inner heat. It's clean, always on, and — once the wells are drilled — cheap to maintain.
In a country where electricity demand is growing and drought has made hydropower less dependable, geothermal is becoming the anchor of Kenya's energy future.
But the real innovation might not be below ground. GDC is also experimenting with wellhead technology, which allows modular mini-power stations to be installed directly at the well site. Unlike traditional plants, which can take up to five years to build, wellhead units can start delivering power almost immediately after drilling.
"This technology not only helps to utilize the investment put into drilling the wells, which would otherwise be lying idle, but also yields benefits through early power generation," Ngugi said.
GDC is betting big on this model. In Menengai, another geothermal-rich site, the company has already brought in three private developers to build plants that will add 105 megawatts to the national grid.
Do you think our power grid needs to be upgraded?
Definitely
Only in some states
Not really
I'm not sure
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Ultimately, GDC aims to supply an additional 1,065 megawatts in the next 10 years — enough to radically reshape the country's energy mix.
Geothermal already supplies about a third of Kenya's electricity, but it has the potential to go much further. The country's underground heat reserves could generate up to 10,000 megawatts, yet only about 950 are being used today, Kenya News Agency said.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Officials stunned after tapping into well of limitless power source: 'An age of vibrant ... energy'
Officials stunned after tapping into well of limitless power source: 'An age of vibrant ... energy' In a remote stretch of Kenya's Great Rift Valley, a single well has blown past expectations, releasing enough geothermal steam to power 22 megawatts of electricity. That's more than four times what a typical well produces and a critical step in the country's race to expand renewable energy. According to the Kenya News Agency, the well sits in the Silali field, part of a cluster of volcanic zones in the Baringo-Silali-Paka region that has been under development for the past seven years. It's now the highest-producing well in the area — and this is only the beginning. GDC plans to extract 300 megawatts from this region alone by 2028, with 100 megawatts each from Silali, Korosi, and Paka. The first phase of this project is expected to connect to the grid within three years. "The viability of Silali geothermal field will usher Kenya into an age of vibrant geothermal energy," said GDC managing director and chief executive officer Paul Ngugi, per the outlet. So why does this matter? In short: reliability. Unlike solar and wind, which fluctuate with the weather, geothermal energy runs on the Earth's constant inner heat. It's clean, always on, and — once the wells are drilled — cheap to maintain. In a country where electricity demand is growing and drought has made hydropower less dependable, geothermal is becoming the anchor of Kenya's energy future. But the real innovation might not be below ground. GDC is also experimenting with wellhead technology, which allows modular mini-power stations to be installed directly at the well site. Unlike traditional plants, which can take up to five years to build, wellhead units can start delivering power almost immediately after drilling. "This technology not only helps to utilize the investment put into drilling the wells, which would otherwise be lying idle, but also yields benefits through early power generation," Ngugi said. GDC is betting big on this model. In Menengai, another geothermal-rich site, the company has already brought in three private developers to build plants that will add 105 megawatts to the national grid. Do you think our power grid needs to be upgraded? Definitely Only in some states Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Ultimately, GDC aims to supply an additional 1,065 megawatts in the next 10 years — enough to radically reshape the country's energy mix. Geothermal already supplies about a third of Kenya's electricity, but it has the potential to go much further. The country's underground heat reserves could generate up to 10,000 megawatts, yet only about 950 are being used today, Kenya News Agency said. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
The US May Have Already Lost the AI Race to China Due to a Key Weakness
You might have heard of an "AI race" heating up between the US and China, a bitter rivalry between two global adversaries that could shape the direction of world history. At least, that's how some in the US feel. While China has repeatedly tried to establish a geopolitical friendship with the richest nation in the world, officials and pundits in the US have doubled down, reframing artificial intelligence as the 21st century's nuclear bomb. In the meantime, China may have gotten a massive lead — by actively investing in its power grid, while the United States' is quickly running out of capacity to power immensely power-hungry AI models. As Fortune reports, Americans who've had a look at China's technological development firsthand found that the two country's aren't even in the same league, given China's next-level power grid. "Energy is considered a solved problem," wrote Rui Ma, editor of the US publication Tech Buzz China. "Everywhere we went, people treated energy availability as a given," she continued. "This is a stark contrast to the US, where AI growth is increasingly tied to debates over data center power consumption and grid limitations." AI is a notoriously energy-intensive technology. The data centers powering large language models like ChatGPT are immense labyrinths of computer chips, which suck down resources like power and water in order to keep up with demand. As Fortune notes, this effectively makes electricity the key bottleneck for expanding AI infrastructure. That's caused some critical shortages in the US. Short on energy and hopped up on fantasies of an arms race, American companies are resorting to all kinds of bizarre strategies to get their juice. Elon Musk's xAI, for example, is running 35 portable methane gas generators in the parking lot of one of its main datacenters in Memphis, encircling nearby communities in a cloud of noxious smog. China has no such problems. In 2024, China was responsible for nearly 65 percent of the world's renewable energy construction, installing so many solar panels and wind turbines that it caused the country's CO2 emissions to drop for the first time — despite record-high demands for energy. Whether or not the US can catch up remains to be seen. President Donald Trump previously made an off-the-cuff remark about attaching coal power plants to data centers directly. It's an unfortunate conundrum in an age when energy demand in the US has never been higher. In the meantime, China keeps chugging along, seemingly unperturbed by any energy bottlenecks — and the Trump administration's posturing. More on AI: AI Datacenters Are Raising Nearby Residents' Electric Bills Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
7.7% and 8.7% yields! 2 dividend stocks I'm considering buying to hold until 2035
Looking for great UK dividend stocks to buy? Here are two on my own personal watchlist. Targeting stable dividends I think renewable energy stocks like Greencoat Renewables (LSE:GRP) have considerable growth opportunities as the push towards net zero continues. The world's energy needs are growing, and green sources are having to make up a growing portion of the overall mix as the world reduces fossil fuel use. The outlook for the sector is especially bright in Europe — Greencoat believes the continent's renewables market will be worth €1.3trn by 2030, and will swell to €2.5trn by 2050. What I like about this particular stock is its wide geographical footprint. Energy production from renewable sources is highly sensitive to weather conditions. Owning assets that are located hundreds of miles apart helps smooth out varabilities in energy output. This is essential to support stable cash flows, which are used to fund dividends. It's not enough to just be operating in the defensive energy sector where demand remains stable. Companies need operational resilience to capitalise on this. Greencoat Renewables has demonstrated such durability. It's raised annual dividends each year since it listed eight years ago, excluding 2021, when payouts were frozen. In total, it's delivered €350m of cumulative dividends over the period. What's more, its dividend yields have long beaten the long-term average for UK shares. At 8.7%, the forward yield for Greencoat is more than double the FTSE 100's historical average of 3%-4%, for instance. Of course, there are dangers here, such as changing green energy policy and rising project costs. A focus on wind farms also leaves it more technologically concentrated than some other renewable energy stocks. But I still believe it's a top dividend share to consider for at least the next decade. A FTSE favourite FTSE 100-listed M&G (LSE:MNG) is another British stock with a huge market opportunity today. It doesn't enjoy the (overall) year-to-year stability that renewable energy shares enjoy. As a major financial services provider, its earnings are vulnerable to the economic downturns that can drain consumer spending power. But over a long-term horizon, it has considerable scope to grow earnings. Rapidly ageing populations are supercharging demand for protection, investment, and retirement products, and asset management services. The UK asset management sector, for instance is set to grow 13.4% a year between now and 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence. While competitive threats remain, I feel M&G has the brand power and the scale to thrive in this environment. This, in turn, bodes well for dividends, which have grown every year since the company listed in 2019. For 2025, the Footsie company carries an enormous 7.7% dividend yield. This is currently the fifth highest on the UK blue-chip index, and is underpinned by the firm's robust balance sheet. Thanks to its excellent cash generation, M&G's Solvency II capital ratio was 223% as of December. This should give it ample financial firepower to keep paying large dividends while also investing for growth. Remember that dividends are never guaranteed. The post 7.7% and 8.7% yields! 2 dividend stocks I'm considering buying to hold until 2035 appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool Royston Wild has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended M&g Plc. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
