Geothermal: Solution for Africa Energy Needs!
Burundi's energy sector as a whole is characterized by the predominance of consumption of biomass in the form of wood and charcoal. The modern forms of energy from hydropower or renewable energies are poorly represented in the energy balance.
Burundi belongs to the western branch of the Rift Valley in Africa where the Ruhwa and Mahoro geothermal sources were pinpointed (Nizeye 2012). Several synthesis of dispersed data from literature exist (Nizeye 2013), describing sources in East Congo (Rollet 1957), in Tanzania (James 1967), in East Africa, around Lake Kivu (Boutakaff 1933), in Burundi (Nitt1969).
In summary an exploitable geothermal source whose temperature lies in the range of 100-1600C, may exist in the Rusizi valley and probably extend well into DRC and Rwanda. This source is thought to be connected to the volcanic area south of Lake Kivu. Therefore, an anomalously geothermal gradient may be expected in this region (Nizeye 2012).
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