Rwanda Moves Closer To Using Methane Gas From Lake Kivu For Cooking

Asante Energies

 

Rwanda is turning one of its greatest natural hazards into a clean energy solution. The country is developing a major project to extract methane gas from Lake Kivu and convert it into clean cooking gas — part of a broader push to move away from firewood and charcoal, which currently account for a large share of household energy use.

 

Some key facts:

📅 Rwandans are expected to start using Lake Kivu methane for cooking in the first quarter of 2028, according to Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, Rwanda's Minister of State for Infrastructure.

 

🔥 The extraction project, led by Gasmeth Energy under a 25-year concession with the Rwandan government, is expected to produce about 40 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, with roughly 35–40% allocated for cooking gas and the rest for industrial and vehicle use.

🏫 Once distribution begins, priority will go to high-energy-consumption institutions like schools, which alone account for an estimated 45% of firewood usage nationwide.

⚡ On the power side, the Shema Power Lake Kivu Plant in Rubavu District is on track to become the country's largest methane-powered plant, with a signed power purchase agreement for 56 megawatts of net output.

🌊 Lake Kivu holds an estimated 60 billion cubic meters of methane, trapped in deep, gas-rich waters shared between Rwanda and the DR Congo — a resource that, if safely tapped, could theoretically power Rwanda for centuries.

⚠️ Beyond energy, extraction plays a critical safety role: left unchecked, the lake's gas buildup poses a long-studied risk of a limnic eruption, so responsible extraction also helps stabilize the lake and reduce that danger.

This is a powerful example of turning environmental risk into sustainable opportunity — reducing deforestation, cutting reliance on imported fuel, and building energy independence