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German firms lead massive North African solar project
June 17, 2009 - Cleantech Group best of the web pick
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Solar power originating in the deserts of North Africa could power Europe with clean electricity, if a consortium of 20 German companies has its way.
The businesses, which include major names in European energy, finance and manufacturing, are expected to assemble next month, according to Guardian News and Media. The ambitious and costly €400 billion ($553.44 billion) plan, called Desertec, sets out to power 15 percent of Europe’s electricity by solar energy from Africa within a decade.
The players—including Siemens, Deutsche Bank, and energy companies RWE and E.ON—are expected to meet July 13 in Munich to form the agreement. The companies haven’t provided details about their involvement in the project. According to Guardian News, other attendees will include German government ministries, global think tank The Club of Rome, and a Zurich-based non-government organization of leading scientists, managers and politicians who support sustainable development.
The expensive project is planned to move forward despite the economic crisis, and is aimed at keeping Germany as a leader in solar energy. Germany fell behind Spain in the global market for solar with 1.5 gigawatts installed in 2008, compared to Spain’s 2.51 GW (see Spain leads 2008 solar market).
The Desertec project would build concentrating solar power plants in several North African locations. Morocco, Libya and Algeria have been cited as potential spots that are politically stable and where land is also inexpensive. The energy would be sent via high-voltage direct current transmission lines to Europe, which has been deemed technically possible, but expensive.
Experts also want to make sure Africa somehow profits from the project. Previous proposals have included allowing host countries to retain some of the electricity for free, in exchange for providing solar farm locations.
The biggest solar installation in the Middle East and North Africa was connected to the grid earlier this month in order to power the construction of Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates. The $50 million project has a generation capacity of 10 megawatts (see $50M solar plant comes online to power Masdar City construction).
Hermann Scheer, German parliament member, Eurosolar president and chairman of the World Council for Renewable Energy, said the Desertec project could be “highly problematic,” and more costly than anticipated due to logistical problems and so many different countries being involved, Guardian News reported.
The article quoted Scheer saying: “We should be looking instead at decentralizing the system, and looking closer to home for our energy supplies, such as solar panels on homes or harnessing wind energy on the coasts, or inland.”
Source:
Guardian News and Media
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Comments
Africa's Resources
Submitted on June 18th, 2009 by Roger (not verified)Europe has grown rich off the resources plundered from less developed places like Africa throughout history, and now in the energy area it looks as if this will be repeated. Why do European leaders feel they have a right to Africa's energy? Shouldn't Africa benefit from its own resources?
It's a simple view, yes, but imagine the boost African nations would get if Europe invested in the Sahara with solar infrastructure and then bought the excess energy, once Africa's needs had been met?
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