Technical Workshop- EARS
The Workshop on “Technical Workshop on the Geologic Development and Geophysics of the Western Branch of the Greater East African Rift System with Emphasis on Factors that Control the Development of their Geothermal Systems” is planned for 9-11 March 2016 at Gisenyi, Rwanda to discuss the geologic setup and conditions that would support the development of geothermal systems in the countries of the western branch of East African Rift System (EARS) which include Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique. The workshop that is sponsored by UNEP, ICEIDA/NDF, Energy Development Corporation Limited of Rwanda (EDCL) and EU will be held at Gisenyi in Rwanda.
Geothermal exploration in the western branch of EARS has so far not succeeded in discovering utilizable geothermal resources. Part of the reasons are that (i) the systems in the west are not (or not clearly) associated with a magmatic geologic conditions, (ii) the nature and characteristics of the systems are not fully understood, (iii) experiences and research methods for geothermal exploration used in the eastern branch of EARS have been inappropriately applied to systems in the western branch. It is therefore essential that a full understanding of the occurrences of the geothermal systems in the region, more so, this time when funding from support programmes and donor community are ready to fund projects in both eastern and western branches of the rift.
The main outcome of the workshop is expected to be the understanding that will be invested in the region’s geoscientists regarding the heterogeneous geologic conditions that determine the generation and storage of the region’s geothermal resources.
The workshop will be facilitated by international resource persons with wide experience in academic research as well as in the geothermal industry
In addition, twenty two geoscientists will be sponsored by UNEP and ICEIDA/NDF to attend from the western branch countries (14) and eastern branch countries (8). Participation in the workshop is by invitation but there are limited opportunities for self- sponsored participants from Africa and worldwide to attend. No fee will be charged for all participants of the workshop; and so interested self-sponsored participants are kindly requested to contact the organizing committee as soon as possible to reserve a slot. It is expected that the workshop will be attended by a total of seventy (70) international geoscientists.
To view the concept note on the The Workshop on “Technical Workshop on the Geologic Development and Geophysics of the Western Branch of the Greater East African Rift System with Emphasis on Factors that Control the Development of their Geothermal Systems” click on the link below