Hacking the steam

imagining playful, new possibilities for the geothermal infrastructure in kenya, olkaria

Advanced VI Studio: Capitalocene Energetic Landscapes | Columbia University GSAPP | Instructors: Mireia Luzarraga, Alejandro Muino, Andrea Molina

Our project focuses on the controversy of the Geothermal Power Plants in Olkaria, Kenya and a design that hacks the geothermal energy to give back to the community and promote environmental justice. In the Eastern Region of Africa resides the Great Rift Valley, a 2,000-mile-long volcanic trench that is slowly drifting the continent apart. It holds one of Africa’s biggest concentrations of wildlife, consisting of over 900 species of biodiverse migratory birds and animal species. Within this region resides Hell’s Gate National Park, situated in Olkaria, Kenya, a small town that is two hours west of the capital of Nairobi.

Established in 1984, this park is home to over 103 species of migratory birds, some both endangered and extinct, and numerous varieties of wildlife. However in this region, this continental drift is creating copious amounts of geothermal energy right below the soil of Olkaria and is being exploited by the government, irregardless of the proximity of conservation efforts and has led to habitat fragmentation, mass clearances of indigenous communities, and demolition of renowned landscapes. What was once known for its thriving landscapes, The Hell’s Gate National Park has now been turned into an industrial park, becoming more known for its geothermal capacities than valiant ecosystems that reside within its boundaries.

Although KenGen, a government enterprise that owns and operates 70% of Kenya’s power plants, has a responsibility to counteract and mitigate the negative impacts caused to the environment, little has been done since the construction of the first geothermal power plant.

DRAWING 1: COSMOGRAM

Vast landscapes of vegetation for nearby ecosystems have been cleared to make way for geothermal pipes. Native East African pastoral communities, such as the Maasai, that have thrived in this region for many years have been displaced by KenGen to make way for power plants, forcing the Maasai community to leave their pastoral beliefs behind for survival. Lake Naivasha, the main freshwater source in Olkaria is now a cesspit for the pollution of geothermal brine waste. The Oserian Flower Farm which was once a proud family owned business has now partnered with KenGen to use the geothermal steam to produce over 380 million roses that could not be economically viable without the steam.

Experts say that The Great Rift Valley is capable of producing up to 10,000 MW of energy, enough to power 7.5 million homes, where The Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant will harness 1/5th of that energy and is on track to become the largest geothermal power plant to date.

Financial Investors

such as The World Bank, The European Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and numerous others plan to exploit The Great Rift Valley of its geothermal resources with the hope of no ramifications. In order to expand electrical services and power its rapidly growing economy, KenGen is determined to meet their projected goals for geothermal expansion by continuing to drill for wells and deploy pipes despite the fragility of the environment.

DRAWING 2: THEATRE OF OPERATION

Looking at the ramifications of the Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant on a scalar level; local, regional, ational, and global, we started to have conversations about our design and how it could impact these different scales, especially as the potential for geothermal energy expands. After much consideration, we decided to intervene at the major source of the problem, the geothermal steam.

DRAWING 3: time and location diagram

Since geothermal potential was found in the 1950s,

over 300 wells have been drilled to date both inside and around Hell’s Gate National Park to harness the geothermal energy underground. These wells are left open to the air for monitoring, allowing steam with traces of hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, boron, arsenic, mercury, and more to linger in the air. At certain ranges, these traces are dangerous to local wildlife and the community.

Residents of Olkaria and fieldworkers of KenGen often complain of respiratory illnesses due to the air pollution from the geothermal steam.

What is described to be a deafening 24-hour noise, these wells also produce immense amounts of noise pollution which seeps out and disturbs animal habitats and migratory patterns.

Time_Location Diagram_Presentation_Noise 1.jpg

drawing 4: interventions

DRAWING 5: action diagram

Altogether, noise, air pollution and habitat fragmentation are decreasing or completely wiping out a number of important animal species at the park, including the birds and vultures that are extremely sensitive to noise and vibration, and other animals that hunt by sound. To target the challenges caused by these, we’re going to place our intervention in two different parts: one at the wellhead, and then the other four along the pipe..

To target the challenges caused by these, we’re going to place our intervention in two different parts: one at the wellhead, and then the other four along the pipe. The permanent wellhead silencer + water filter will mitigate the noise created by the wellheads and will filter the steam and condense it to potable water. It will reduce the range of air and noise pollution that were eradicating the birds, vultures, and land animal species that hunt by sound.

This would then widen the extent of undisturbed environments. And then the individual trains can provide a space of safe cohabitation for the agents affected by the development.

Allowing them physical corridors to freely travel through the site.

DRAWING 6: IMMEDIATE SITE DRAWING

On the right side you can see how these abstract relationships and programs can translate to the physical forms. This is a small part of the Olkaria development located near Well 907A showing potential placement and configurations of the intervention in relation to their surroundings.

drawing 7: site section

To combat habitat fragmentation and promote environmental justice, our design is strategically devised to live and move upon the existing and future expansions of the geothermal pipes, harnessing the energy that will be used to benefit the local ecosystems of Hell’s Gate National Park.

The section shows the inside secrets of the geothermal steam hacking system and how our intervention is situated in the vast landscape of Olkaria. The existing geothermal pipes that are strategically carrying steam waste are drilled with holes at regular intervals where a valve is placed that connect and disconnect to the structure disconnect on demand, clipping into receiving pipes in the trains floor plates for easy access.

Each design cart is chained together to form a longer system of continuous steam hacking programs such as steam kitchen and portable water station.

It leaves traces of life as it leaves water flash and fall-over plants along where it moves. It will also disperse living trash from the steam kitchen and bird sanctuary into the near surroundings, creating a map of liveliness and recombination.

A story: throughout the day in Olkaria

As the wells have excreted steam throughout the night, the wellhead towers have been able to convert enough steam into potable water to be consumed by the local ecosystems residing in the environment and stored at the water station for activities that will happen throughout the day

After nourishing themselves, local community members plan to travel down the landscape to depart back to their homes, where they observe the vast Olkaria landscapes, interacting with local fauna who are feeding off of the facade.

The greenhouse strategically hacks the steam to remain set at a temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring the local crops, such as baby corn, pak choi, courgettes, and more are ready to be eaten during the gathering ceremony for the local Maasai Tribe. Ruppell’s vultures know this time of day as they await in the bird sanctuary for their scraps they will receive from composted meals from the community.

As the local animals begin their nightly rituals, the wellness cart travels around the valley to ensure the environment and its ecosystems are well nourished, looking forward to interacting with these interventions the very next day.”