Tanzania must fulfill its geothermal energy potential

The African Rift Valley area has excellent geothermal power potential, and Tanzania is one of the African countries with the richest geothermal resources at its disposal with current estimates saying that Tanzania accounts for one tenth of total geothermal energy potential in Africa.

The entire African Rift Valley area has the total potential of 40,000 MW, and Tanzania is said to have a total geothermal energy potential of more than 5,000 MW.

The Tanzania is yet to start harvesting geothermal energy despite this huge potential. The Tanzanian Vice-President Mohamed Bilal has announced that geothermal energy will play big part in country's energy sector as government plans to almost double its current electricity generation capacity from the current 1.470 MW to 2,780 MW by the end of the 2015.

Geothermal energy in Tanzania does not only have the potential to meet country's entire energy needs, it can also lead to additional economic benefits by selling the surplus to neighboring countries. Tanzania plans to increase its generation capacity to 10,000 MW by the 2025, and geothermal energy should be a vital cog in achieving this energy target. If this plan turns successful Tanzania could become one of the leading industrial powers in entire Africa.

The abundance of geothermal resources gives Tanzania excellent opportunity to kickstart not only its clean energy development, but also industry and economic development too. What country needs to do now is to attract investors and harness this amazing renewable energy source.

Tanzanian government announced its commitment to invest major funds into renewable energy sector, especially geothermal energy, If geothermal energy development goes as planned Tanzania could soon become one of the clean energy leaders in Africa.