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ICEIDA, UNEP and GDC have established cooperation for support to geothermal development with a focus on capacity building. UNEP is providing technical support for the capacity building activity including skill gap analysis in the region . This center of excellence is meant for developing capacity (skilled manpower) of the continent in terms of geothermal science and technology.

Speaking during a panel on renewable energy during the German Week, UNEP Program Manager ARGeo Dr Meseret Zemedkun said Kenya was successfully embracing renewable energy sources making it an exemplary country in the use of geothermal power in Africa and the West.

The government’s commitment in supporting geothermal technology is also demonstrated in the sound national scale of the budget allocated to the project as observed by Dr Zemedkun.“It is really not common in any other African country. You can see the government is committed and allocates the funds for geothermal resources,” she said.

UNEP further observed that Kenya has developed a coherent geothermal policy anchored on the geothermal act which strengthens public and private partnership in developing the renewable energy power project. According to her, the government’s financial support, public private-partnership and legal framework of geothermal technology are exemplary approaches that the rest of the world can emulate to implement the technology in their countries especially in Africa.

“Kenya is successful not only in Africa but even for the whole world. The way we see now, the trend, the commitment of the government, we can see that Kenya will reach and will also be one of the countries in the world to use geothermal for power generation,” she asserted.
Through the project, Kenya also aims to use geothermal power for direct use application which will boost green house emissions and use of renewable energy like developed countries.