Malawi Promises Huge Potential for Geothermal Power

The country of Malawi, along with its neighbours Tanzania and Mozambique, promises a huge potential for tapping geothermal energy to the extent of 4,000 MW. This development could reduce the country’s heavy reliance upon hydropower as well as fossil fuel, as per a recent geological survey report.

An assessment conducted by Unep (United Nations Environmental Programme) as well as the Global Environment Facility has indicated that Malawi has a rich potential for electricity generation of approximately 4,000 MW of electrical energy ready for harnessing along the Rift Valley. Geothermal energy is the power that is extracted from the heat stored inside the earth. If only Malawi could go on to exploit this geothermal energy, the frequent blackouts could be avoided on account of failure by Escom (Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi).

Currently, Escom is generating approximately 260 MW of power as against the suppressed demand running in excess of 300 MW. The report says that 21 key hot springs have been reported under the area of Chitipa-Karonga down to the country’s southern region but has not indicated as to how this energy could be generated. Unep says that almost all known forms of geothermal energy sources in Malawi belong to the convective type.