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☆ How a Jack Dorsey-backed bitcoin miner uses a volcano in Kenya to turn on the lights in rural homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

watch nowHELL'S GATE, Kenya — Two-and-a-half hours northwest of Nairobi by car, a small group of bitcoin miners set up shop at the site of an extinct volcano near Hell's Gate National Park. "That doesn't happen without the bitcoin miners and us being globally distributed." MacKenzie SigalosWherever the operation, bitcoin mining is a volatile business, because so much of the economics depends on the price of the cryptocurrency. Before getting into bitcoin mining, he and his two co-founders, Philip Walton and Janet Maingi, spent years building internet connectivity infrastructure in rural and urban Africa. Demand from bitcoin miners on these semi-stranded assets is making renewables in Africa economically viable.

Persons: Jack Dorsey's, MacKenzie Sigalos, Erik Hersman, Bitcoin, Gridless, Lake Naivasha, bitcoin, Adam Sullivan, Philip Walton, Janet Maingi, Michael Gottschalk, Nic Carter, Carter, Hersman, It's, it's Organizations: CNBC, Kenyan, Core, Deutsche Bank, Marathon, United Arab, Getty, Island Ventures, Miners, International Energy Agency Locations: Kenya, Nairobi, Lake Naivasha, Malawi, Zambia, Venezuela, Lebanon, Gate, Lake, U.S, Texas, Russia, China, America, Africa, Toronto, Argentina, Florida, United Arab Emirates, Paraguay, Hersman, Sudan, Iceland, El Salvador, Bhutan

[1/2] Pylons of high-tension electricity power lines are seen at the Olkaria II Geothermal power plant near the Rift Valley town of Naivasha, Kenya February 15, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLITTLETON, Colorado, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Kenya, currently the eighth largest geothermal power user, has more geothermal power capacity under construction than any other country, and plans to nearly double overall geothermal power output by 2030 as part of ambitious green energy goals. Once current projects are completed, Kenya will rank fourth on the global list of geothermal users behind the United States, Indonesia and The Philippines, and aims to generate over half of the country's electricity from geothermal sites, data from Global Energy Monitor shows. Map of global geothermal power facilitiesHowever, in areas where there is active tectonic plate movement and the Earth's heat can be tapped at relatively shallow depths, geothermal facilities can be a cost effective means to generate abundant clean power. WIDENING REACHRelatively easy access to geothermal sources has motivated Kenya to become a global leader in geothermal site development, and the country has boosted geothermal capacity by 375% from 2010 to 2022, more than any other major geothermal producer, data from think tank Ember shows.

Persons: Thomas Mukoya, Peketsa, Gavin Maguire, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Global Energy Monitor, Kenya Electricity Generating, International Monetary Fund, United Nations Environment Program, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Naivasha, Kenya, LITTLETON , Colorado, United States, Indonesia, The Philippines, Africa, Ethiopia, Djibouti, East, Eastern Africa

☆ Uganda to reopen century-old rail link after China fails to fund new line
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Elias Biryabarema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The line, which has been out of use for roughly 40 years, is part of the East Africa rail network that stretches from Kenya's Indian Ocean seaport of Mombasa. It was built by Kenya and Uganda's former colonial ruler Britain around the beginning of the 20th-century. Uganda decided to revamp the old network after plans to build a separate modern standard gauge railway (SGR) failed to secure financing from China. The European Union funded construction of the Gulu hub, completed in late 2021, as part of the effort to revamp Uganda's railway network, which fell into disrepair during the country's economic collapse in 1970s and early 80s. Ugandan officials hope once the link is restored, rail will replace trucks in shipping transit goods to South Sudan and northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Persons: Thomas Mukoya, John Linnon Sengendo, Sengendo, Elias Biryabarema, George Obulutsa, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Democratic, Uganda Railways Corporation, Reuters, China Harbour, Engineering Company, Bridge Corporation, European Union, Thomson Locations: Kenya, Uganda, Kibera, Nairobi, South Sudan, DRC Kenya, KAMPALA, Democratic Republic of Congo, East Africa, Mombasa, Britain, China, Ugandan, Tororo, Uganda's, Gulu, Kampala

☆ Kenya's Ruto says further tax-hike protests will not be allowed
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NAIROBI, July 14 (Reuters) - Kenyan President William Ruto vowed on Friday that protests planned next week would not be allowed following two rounds of demonstrations that have left at least 15 people dead. Opposition leader Raila Odinga's party called earlier in the day for three more days of protests from next Wednesday against tax hikes that Ruto signed into law last month. You cannot look for the leadership of this country using the blood of the citizens, the death of the citizens and the destruction of property," Ruto said at the opening of a road in the town of Naivasha. Kenya's President William Ruto attends a joint press conference with Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi at the State House in Nairobi, Kenya, July 12, 2023. The most recent demonstrations took place despite bans by the police, and Ruto did not say how he planned to stop the upcoming protests.

Persons: William Ruto, Raila, Ruto, Odinga, Ebrahim Raisi, Jeremy Laurence, Humphrey Malalo, Thomas Mukoya, Hereward Holland, Aaron Ross, Alex Richardson Organizations: Kenyan, Iran's, State, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, Human Rights, Thomson Locations: NAIROBI, Naivasha, Nairobi, Kenya

☆ Ogier leads Kenya's Safari Rally as Neuville retires
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Rallying - World Rally Championship - Safari Rally Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya - June 23, 2022 - A helicopter follows French Toyota driver Sebastien Ogier and co-driver Benjamin Veillas in action during side-by-side super special racing stage at Kasarani. REUTERS/Monicah MwangiJune 23 (Reuters) - Toyota's Sebastien Ogier led after the first leg of Kenya's Safari Rally on Friday while Hyundai's title contender Thierry Neuville smashed his car's suspension and retired from the day's action. Eight times world champion Ogier, who is competing part-time this season, was 22.8 seconds clear of team mate and 2022 winner Kalle Rovanpera after the day's six stages over rutted, rocky and sandy tracks. Except for the hybrid issue this morning we had a perfect day, so we can be happy," said the Frenchman, who had been only 2.5 seconds clear of Rovanpera at midday service in Naivasha. The rally, celebrating its 70th anniversary, started with a stage in Nairobi on Thursday.

Persons: Sebastien Ogier, Benjamin Veillas, Monicah, Toyota's Sebastien Ogier, Thierry Neuville, Ogier, Kalle Rovanpera, It's, Frenchman, Elfyn Evans, Neuville, Hyundai's Dani Sordo, Alan Baldwin, Toby Davis Organizations: Safari, Toyota, REUTERS, Belgian, Rovanpera, Thomson Locations: Kenya, Nairobi, Kasarani, Naivasha, Belgian Neuville, Sardinia, Neuville, Lake Naivasha, London

☆ Scholz's East Africa trip to address regional conflict, green energy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, May 2 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz aims to discuss the conflict in Sudan, signal his support for the peace process in Ethiopia and explore cooperation on green hydrogen with Kenya during his trip to East Africa this week, officials said on Tuesday. On Friday, he will meet the president of Kenya, East Africa's biggest economy, to discuss trade and other issues. On Saturday, Scholz will visit Africa's biggest geothermal plant, at Lake Naivasha, in the geologically active Great Rift Valley, which is key to Kenya's plans for producing green hydrogen. The German officials played down the possibility of any imminent deal on cooperation on green hydrogen. Kenya was interested in producing green hydrogen to use in fertilizer production but could potentially export to Germany in future if supply was extensive, the officials said.

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