Dedan Kimathi University of Technology is collaborating with the main industry players in the country, i.e., Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) and Geothermal Development Company (GDC) through signed Memoranda of Understanding on geothermal energy training. Joint activities include sharing of manpower resources, equipment and student attachment and supervision. Their facilities are available free of charge to the program, apart from procurement of laboratory consumables and payment of allowance to their staff involved in data collection and analysis. The University, KenGen and GDC have formed a Joint Steering and Advisory Committee whose role is review of the training programs from time to time to ascertain their relevance to industry and recommending any changes necessary.
The University’s Geothermal Training and Research Institute (GeTRI) has well developed teaching and research links with institutions that have related programs. The Research Unit at the Institute pursues research funding, conducts research and facilitates post graduate students studies and research in the focus areas. Research concentrates on the geosciences, including structural geology, seismology, gravity/magnetics, geodesy, geochemistry, and remote sensing focussed on exploration for new geothermal systems and understanding favourable regional settings. Funded research is focused on developing and refining approaches to identify potential new systems, create genetic occurrence models for systems in the Rift Valley and other areas with geothermal potential, and model reservoir fluid and heat transport. Research results are hoped to lead to the discovery of several new geothermal systems as well as a better understanding and characterization of geothermal systems in these geothermal areas.
The Institute is constantly seeking to expand its international network of collaborators in strengthening its programs. Exchange programs have been established with international universities in Germany, US, France and Belgium. Recently, discussions on possible collaboration between DeKUT and the United Nations University – Geothermal Training Program (UNU-GTP) have been initiated, and its hoped that an MoU will be established soon. The Institute also maintains an active collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.