Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) has greenlit GreenFire Energy Inc. (GreenFire) to kickstart the implementation of its innovative GreenLoop technology in the Olkaria Geothermal field.
GreenFire Energy’s GreenLoop technology offers a promising solution to maximize geothermal power production. GreenLoop is an Advanced Geothermal System (AGS) that can economically access a wide range of geothermal resources, including those currently deemed unviable by conventional geothermal technology.
This versatile system allows for the retrofitting of idle wells to increase power production and the de-risking of new wells, facilitating the expansion of existing fields and the development of new geothermal resources.
Kenya is renowned as one of the top 10 largest geothermal energy producers globally, with ambitious plans to expand its renewable energy capacity by 3,000MW over the next decade, largely driven by geothermal resources abundant in the Rift Valley region. KenGen, a leading player in the country’s energy sector, aims to increase its electricity generation from geothermal sources to over 50 percent by 2030, leveraging its current capacity of 799MW from geothermal wells, which accounts for 85 percent of the nation’s geothermal installed capacity.
The collaboration between KenGen and GreenFire Energy signifies a significant milestone in Kenya’s energy transition journey. GreenFire Energy’s revolutionary GreenLoop technology offers a closed-loop Advanced Geothermal System (AGS), uniquely designed to harness geothermal resources that conventional technology cannot access. This groundbreaking technology enables companies like KenGen to retrofit idle wells economically, thus boosting power production and contributing to Kenya’s clean energy goals.
Eng. Peter Njenga, KenGen’s Managing Director and CEO, expressed optimism about the partnership. “We are optimistic about this partnership with GreenFire Energy whose commitment to excellence in the field of green energy aligns seamlessly with our vision at KenGen. We believe that this partnership holds great promise for the future of our energy landscape and look forward to positive results from this pilot,” he stated.
Steven Brown, President of GreenFire Energy Inc., echoed Eng. Njenga’s sentiments, praising KenGen’s vision for sustainable energy and its embrace of technology to enhance geothermal power generation. Brown emphasized GreenFire’s dedication to tailoring solutions to address the unique characteristics of Olkaria’s geothermal resources, retrofitting idle wells, and maximizing production economically.
GreenFire Energy, headquartered in the San Francisco area, brings a wealth of expertise in geothermal energy and a commitment to accelerating the adoption of clean, reliable geothermal power globally. Through collaborations with industry leaders like KenGen, GreenFire Energy aims to deliver rapid and cost-effective solutions to advance the adoption of geothermal energy worldwide.
