10
Aug
13

Lake Abhe geothermal potential unveiled

Little known Lake Abhe has hit the stands recently with the publication of  its large geothermal energy resources This little known location did not attract the attention of the geothermal scienist because of its remote location and  the clout Assal had in the past. Assal geothermal site is often visited by international community due to its proximity to an urban Djibouti while L.Abhe is remote and one has to camp in local tents braving heat and local harsh environment. Althouh the CERD scientists did publish preliminary reports, due to non availability of the report several people did not venture into the site until M/s GeoSyndicate submitted a proposal to develop this site to the Govt. Djibouti couple of years ago. Now with a detailed field work results and sample data, a detailed scientific paper has appeared in an international journal of repute.

The most interesting thing is its proximity to the Tendaho geothermal site that is being developed as a major geothermal power station.  Geology and structure indicate that both the sites are indeed related to the volcanoes surrounding the region. By virtue of its location in a rift valley surrounded by active volcanoes, this site cannot be ignored. It is estimated that this site an generate electricity of the order of ∼ 120 × 106 kWh which is a huge support to lift the socio-economic status of the rural Djibouti. This area has plenty of water and. Developing this site would mean developing the entire Afar countries. The Govt. should step in and request international agencies for funds to develop this under developed country.

Djibouti imports 100 % oil to support its growth.  Developing this renewable low carbon emergy source will benefit the country in mitigating CO2 emissions and support sustainable development