” Exploding” Lake Could Kill Millions or Power the Country for 100 Years [Energy]

The lake’s lethal combination of methane and carbon dioxide has residents fearing for their lives, however it’s also the country’s most important and promising energy source.

Rwanda‘s Lake Kivu is without doubt one of the world’s three ” exploding lakes” and is at serious risk of ” overturn,” a process whereby huge amounts of carbon dioxide are released from under its surface, suffocating everyone inside the surrounding areas. Consistent with the Guardian, Rwandans are now systematically removing the gases from the lake so that it will supply massive amounts of electricity to the country for a better 100 years. It’s probably not a sustainable solution, but what the heck, Rwanda currently only supplies electricity to one in 14 houses.

The Guardian states: ” Some scientists say that the ever-expanding volumes of carbon dioxide and methane in Lake Kivu, coupled with the nearby volcanic activity, make a limnic eruption (also known as a lake overturn, through which CO2 suddenly erupts from the lake) highly likely during the long run unless degassing occurs. This has now begun with the extraction of a number of the 60bn cubic metres of methane within the water.”

Two lakes previous overturned in nearby Cameroon, which killed 1,800 people. But Lake Kivu is 2,000 times larger and thus presents a disaster threat of monstrous proportions, since the world is additionally more densely populated.

No better description of a double-edged sword-give power to millions or let everyone die?

Images courtesy Nasa

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