Lake Kivu has been found to contain approximately 55 billion cubic meters (72 billion cubic yards) of dissolved methane gas at a depth of 300 meters (1,000 ft). Twenty years after the gas deposit discovery in 1937, the first extraction and purification pilot plant was established at Rubona-Gisenyi province in 1963.

Cape Rubona was located at 3km from the local brewery, Bralirwa, which converted one of its boilers to use the extracted gas as a combustible to replace the imported fuel oil.

The Rubona pilot plant intended to operate as an experimental pilot plant with a life expectancy of 10 years and its success in providing Bralirwa with methane power inspired experts to carry out more research which found out the lake had ability to increase Rwanda’s energy generation by as much as 20 times.

As far as large-scale exploitation of this resource is concerned, the Rwandan government is in negotiations with a number of parties to produce methane from the lake. Among these are Dane Associates and the Ludan Ltd, an Israel methane gas constructor which has constructed Gisenyi pilot plant, a plant that will have started producing 5MW power by the end June this year.

Government official’s views on the projects

In his recent visit to the Gisenyi methane gas plant situated 3.5 meters from the lake shores, Prime Minister Bernard Makuza expressed gratitude to the plant constructors for the great work which he said will soon be a solution the current power challenges in the country.

"We strongly believe that methane gas from Lake Kivu will provide in a near future a sustainable solution to the energy challenges in not only Rwanda but also the region” Makuza said.

He said that experts had said that both Gisenyi and Kibuye methane projects once properly developed can increase Rwanda’s energy generation beyond its needs which would enable the country to sell electricity to its neighbours.

"This project will also contribute to a reduction in the use of firewood or charcoal in the region as well as a reduction on pollution within the local environment by using a clean and renewable energy,” he said.

Makuza said that Gisenyi plant whose construction has consumed 10 million euros will have by the end of next month started providing electricity to all of Gisenyi and parts of Ruhengeri in the Northern Province to supplement the existing power supply.

According to the Minister of State in charge of energy, Albert Butare, Rwanda has in the past been consuming imported fuel from abroad and large volumes of wood and charcoal.

He says that natural gas is a much higher efficiency fuel because it is much more environmentally friendly and will reduce deforestation which has reached an alarming level in the country.

He articulates the successful change from these other sources of fuel would greatly improve both economic and environmental conditions in Rwanda.

"The government is avoiding past mistakes of not investing in power which has costs the country a lot of funds due to the difficulty in supplying hydro power. The government has in the past invested in thermal energy by installing generators in various parts of the country as a temporary solution to the energy crisis, which turned out to be costly due to expensive diesel,” Butare explained while at Gisenyi pilot plant.

The minister further clarified that the aim of these plants is to double Rwanda’s current electricity supply within two years. But in the longer term, the potential will be even higher.

Methane could increase Rwanda’s energy production by more than 20 times and that the government was currently doing every thing possible to have more extractors to build more plants on the lake to increase power production.

Butare said the estimated 700 megawatts of energy supply goes far beyond what the country needs. He says that this surplus power could be used for export purposes, or regional sharing.

He says methane gas technology will lead to substitution of imported fuel in industries, substitution of biomass (wood and charcoal) in households and tea factories, production of fertilizers from the waist products as well as utilization of methane gas for lighting.

Residents optimistic

Residents living in Gisenyi where the plant is located are optimistic about the accomplishment of the project. They believe the project’s success will in the near future save them from big electricity bills.

"We have observed the methane gas plant from day one of its construction. Although we haven’t visited the plant due to the fact that it is 3.5km from the lake shores where only leaders, journalists and technicians go by boats, we hope we are soon enjoying its benefits. From a distance, one can tell it’s almost done,” explained Hasan Mwunvaneza a resident of Gisenyi town. He said that he anticipated a reduction of power costs after the plant starts producing power.

"We kindly ask the government to cut electricity costs as soon as the plant starts producing power because the current electro gas bills are becoming impossible to pay,” he said. According to Claudette Uwimana, some households have resorted to using very few lights in the houses.

"We only have one electric bulb in the sitting room which we use only at night while having diner and we no longer use household electric equipment such as flatiron to reduce on the electricity bills at the end of the month” she explained. She said she was hopeful that methane power will help improve their living standard.

Ends