Extraction of dissolved methane from Lake Kivu
Extracción de metano disuelto del lago Kivu
- Date
- 1963 (planta comercial 2015) · confidence high
- Place
- Kibuye, Karongi, Western Province, Rwanda
- Credited to
- Bralirwa brewery (1963) and KivuWatt (2015)
- Field
- Matter & energy
What it is
Lake Kivu holds large amounts of dissolved methane and CO2 in its deep waters. A pilot plant in 1963 used it at a brewery, and since 2015 the KivuWatt plant has extracted it to produce electricity.
Kivu holds about 55 km3 of methane; extraction is controversial because it could upset the lake's stratification and balance.
What it led to
- electricity generation with lake gas (26 MW in the first phase)
- reduced risk of a limnic eruption
- environmental debate on discharging lake water