In Rwanda launched a methane power plant

В Руанде запущена метановая электростанция

Lake Kivu looks no different from any other lakes near the mountains, the sun is shining, the village, and, in General, all very picturesque and great. But right under the bottom of the lake is a very large Deposit of methane, which can poison the whole neighborhood and result in many unpleasant and even terrible consequences in case of an eruption. So often before, in 1984 from the release of methane gas killed 27 people, a similar tragedy that occurred in Cameroon two years later, claimed more than 1,700 lives.

The government of Rwanda hopes to turn poisonous and very dangerous lake Kivu in a safe energy source that can benefit the inhabitants of the country. The opening of the power plant that runs on methane extracted from the lake, will reduce the probability of re-emission of poisonous gas.

The KivuWatt project started in 2014, the contractor was made by the American company ContourGlobal. The system of methane gas extraction on lake Kivu there is a difference from the usual drilling — here it is obtained by degassing of methane and carbon dioxide directly from the lake. At the moment the Americans and am working on three mining blocks that are planning to install up to 2019. The first power plant built by ContourGlobal in Rwanda is located near the city of Kibuye. Over the past five months, she made 26 megawatts, but the country still has acute shortage of electricity — now access to it has only a third of the population of the country.

After completion of the project more than 70% of Rwandans will be able to use electricity. For poor countries methane power plant — a discovery which will help save you money, and reduce the percentage of the traditionally used “dirty” fuel that runs most power plants in the country.

In Rwanda launched a methane power plant
Vyacheslav Larionov


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