TOKYO, FUKUOKA, and NAIVASHA – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) concluded a capacity-building programme for experts and policymakers in geothermal development from Eastern African countries, namely Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda (targeted countries). The capacity building program was organized under the UNIDO global programme “Generating energy capacity from geothermal power generation and its related technologies for sustainable development” (Geothermal Programme) funded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.  

The primary objective of the Geothermal programme is to promote geothermal power generation and related technologies across African countries through collaborative efforts. This is accomplished through technology demonstrations, addressing barriers to accessing information and technical knowledge, capacity building to facilitate technology adoption and domestic replication, knowledge management activities, and the identification of viable and sustainable business models. Furthermore, the programme also aims to strengthen market conditions to attract investments and foster public-private partnerships in the targeted countries. Drawing from UNIDO's expertise and the success of similar projects in the region, the programme seeks to scale up investments and collaboration to benefit Africa. 

Under the Geothermal programme, the need for capacity building activities and the creation of an enabling environment through an enhanced policy and regulatory framework and partnerships were identified to stimulate the uptake of geothermal power generation, to effectively address challenges of climate change, energy poverty, and sustainable industrialization in the targeted countries. In order to address these identified gaps, the capacity building program was structured in two components, namely, 1) Technical training component and 2) Partnership building and policy making component.  

The technical training component was designed to cover three geothermal related thematic areas including, 1) geothermal engineering, ii) geoscience, and iii) environmental and social analysis. These courses were conducted in Naivasha, Kenya in cooperation with the Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC. and were attended by 25 experts (6 women) from the targeted countries. During the opening ceremony of the technical training organized in Naivasha on 12th May 2023, Lydiah Kathini Musyimi, UNIDO Desk Officer, State Department for Industry of Kenya, pointed out that “over the past years, Kenya has accumulated a wealth of experience in geothermal development and is eager to collaborate with neighboring nations by sharing its expertise.” 

“We would like to express our gratitude to UNIDO for the organization of such training. The skills and knowledge acquired will play a pivotal role in the advancement of the geothermal sectors within our nations” said Godfrey Bahati, Commissioner for Geothermal Resources, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development of Uganda and one of the experts who participated in the training. 

The partnership building and policy making component was conducted in Tokyo and Fukuoka, Japan, in cooperation with West Japan Engineering Consultants, Inc. It was attended by 22 policymakers and experts (7 women) from the targeted countries. A series of activities were conducted under the component including i) a workshop discussing the key enabling factors and challenges for geothermal development, and the role of public-private partnerships to support geothermal development in the Eastern African region; ii) a site visit to the biggest geothermal power plant in Japan, with an installed capacity of 110 MW; and iii) a one-on-one business matching event with private sector entities.  

“Attending the event organized in Japan has been an enlightening experience. The exchange of ideas during the workshop and business matching event, and the technology showcased during site visits, reaffirmed our belief that geothermal energy can provide clean, reliable, and sustainable power for Eastern African countries” said Ms. Sofiya Abdulkadir Ayano, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Ethiopia.  

The capacity building program served as a comprehensive platform to promote the development of the geothermal sector in the region by providing advanced knowledge and skills and strengthening partnerships and networks between various stakeholders across the region. The geothermal sector is expected to play an important role in the decarbonization of the energy sector across Eastern Africa. By harnessing this clean energy, East African nations can significantly reduce their carbon emissions and contribute to global climate goals.  Moreover, the development of the geothermal sector in the Eastern African countries will create the preconditions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

For more information, please contact:  

Naoki Torii 
Industrial Development Expert
Division of Decarbonization and Sustainable Energy 
Climate Technologies Innovation Unit 
n.torii@unido.org