The Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has recently commissioned a cereal drying plant in Menengai in the Rift Valley, western Kenya. Crops will be dried using geothermal steam.
Geothermal energy is revolutionising agricultural practices in western Kenya. Now it is possible to dry cereals quickly and even in the rainy season. This is thanks to a drying plant that has just been commissioned in Menengai by the Geothermal Development Company (GDC). The plant is capable of drying 20 tons of grain per day. It should reduce production losses, which are often linked to bad weather during the rainy season.
“We are pleased to see the progress of this project, which is unique in Africa. It shows that we can focus on other areas of geothermal energy use than electricity production,” says Agusta Gisladottir, Iceland’s Director of Regional Development Cooperation and Partnerships. The project on the application of geothermal energy in agriculture was funded by the Icelandic International Development Agency (Iceida).
The state-owned company GDC is also developing pilot projects for the use of geothermal heat for milk pasteurisation and greenhouse agriculture in western Kenya.
The application of geothermal steam in the industrial sector
As part of its policy to diversify the use of geothermal energy, GDC has signed a partnership agreement with the Nakuru County Government to create a joint venture that will develop an industrial park near the Menengai geothermal site in the Rift Valley. Read more…
