Superhot Rock Geothermal in Somalia

The document highlights Somalia's significant superhot rock geothermal resources, noting that just 1% of this endowment could provide 241 GW of energy capacity. It argues that this technology could replace Somalia's current reliance on expensive diesel generators, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower electricity costs, which were approximately USD 1.0 per kWh in Mogadishu as of 2020. Additionally, the report emphasizes the low land-use footprint of superhot rock geothermal compared to other energy sources and its potential to create jobs and attract foreign investment.

• Preliminary modeling indicates that Somalia possesses substantial superhot rock resources; specifically, 1% of the country's superhot rock resource could provide 241 GW of energy capacity and generate over 2,009,285 GWh of electricity, an amount equivalent to 1.2 billion barrels of oil.
• Superhot rock geothermal is presented as a highly land-efficient energy source, requiring approximately 12 km² of land to produce 1 GW, which is significantly less than the land required for natural gas (160 km²), solar (180 km²), offshore wind (520 km²), or biomass (14,000 km²).
• The technology could address Somalia's energy insecurity and high costs; currently, the country relies on a 106 megawatt capacity primarily from diesel generators, and as of 2020, electricity in Mogadishu cost approximately USD 1.0 per kilowatt-hour, five times the cost in Kenya.
• Beyond electricity generation, superhot rock geothermal could support the production of low-carbon hydrogen for heavy industry and provide socio-economic benefits by creating jobs in engineering, geology, and maintenance, while attracting foreign investment.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). Superhot Rock Geothermal in Somalia. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22145115/Somalia-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Superhot Rock Geothermal in Somalia. n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22145115/Somalia-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Superhot Rock Geothermal in Somalia |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22145115/Somalia-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforcendsuperhot, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Superhot Rock Geothermal in Somalia}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22145115/Somalia-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }