Harnessing desert sun to power Europe (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Aidan Lewis
BBC News, Ouarzazate, Morocco

It is a beguiling idea - harvest sunshine, and a little wind, from the empty deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, and use it to produce clean power for the region and for Europe.

Desertec, a group based in Germany with heavyweight commercial backers including Siemens and Deutsche Bank, says the scheme would also bring the regions around the Mediterranean closer together, while providing jobs and stability for the countries in the south.

It has chosen Morocco, which is embarking on its own ambitious solar programme, for its first "reference" project - a plant meant to show that its grand vision is feasible.

Desertec expects to see the first electricity flowing through undersea cables from Morocco to Spain as early as 2014.

But its stated goal - using desert power to supply up to 100% of local needs and up to 15% of European demand by 2050 - has attracted critics who question whether such a vision is possible, or even necessary.
***
more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15984493




So ... Europe could end up at the mercy of OSPEC ? :evilgrin:

[BOHICA12]

1. Organization of Sun Power Exporting Countries ... LOL nt

[FBaggins]

2. Any change in the last couple years?

Doesn't seem like there's anything new here.

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. Yes

Try the following:
http://news.google.com/search?q=world+bank+solar+morocco
http://news.google.com/search?q=desertec

[FBaggins]

4. Um... that "yes" seems unsupported

Your first link brings up a list of articles related to Morocco's internal plan to build a solar plant (unrelated to Desertec). I have no doubt that Morocco could benefit from such a plan... the question is whether or not this grand design to power some of Europe from Africa's desert has gotten anywhere.

The second link is just a google of "desertec"... which ends up with nothing that I see that's any different from where they were two years ago. The closest I can see is that they hope that ADB will soon approve about 5% of the funding they need. Really most of it reads like a marketing effort on Desertec's part to raise investment capital. One saying the world bank was now considering something... another now saying that the ADB is considering something... no actual plans for an actual project to be constructed on an actual timeline.

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. The Morocco system will be set up by DESERTEC, backed by the World Bank

http://news.google.com/search?q=DESERTEC+morocco


Of more interest to you perhaps is the agreement between DESERTEC and MEDGRID

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1448

European Commission - Press release

Commission welcomes Desertec and Medgrid cooperation on solar energy in North Africa and the Middle East

Brussels, 24 November 2011 - Today, in the margins of the Energy Council, Energy Commissioner Oettinger welcomed the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Desertec Industry Initiative (Dii) and Medgrid. The MoU establishes closer cooperation between the two private industry initiatives, which are key to the promotion of a renewable energy partnership between the EU and countries in the Southern Mediterranean. Areas of cooperation will include exchange of information, update on progress, joint evaluation of potential synergies, and joint efforts on the EU and Middle-East and North Africa level to obtain a more favourable regulatory framework for renewable energy markets.

Energy Commissioner Oettinger stated that: "By joining efforts and coordinating their approaches, the two initiatives take a truly European dimension. There is now a concrete perspective of solar and wind energy being produced for the joint benefit of European and Northern African and Middle Eastern citizens, as well for the benefit of both markets."

…

Medgrid, created at the end of 2010 in Paris, is promoting new high capacity electricity links around the Mediterranean, studying their feasibility from the technical, economic and institutional standpoints. This infrastructure would link the Southern, Eastern and Northern shores of the Mediterranean and transport electricity generated primarily from renewable resources. Founders are among others: AFD, Alstom grid, Areva renouvelables, EDF, RTE.

Desertec and Medgrid are complementary and mutually reinforcing, the first focusing on energy generation and the second on energy transmission. Given that both initiatives' long term objective is the development of renewable energy in the Eastern and Southern countries, and its transport to the local and EU markets, their increased collaboration will create strong synergies and have a positive impact on market integration.

…

[Bob Wallace]

5. Changes happening...

Transmission is being boosted in various parts of Europe. Not the Europe -> North Africa part yet, but in the UK -> mainland area. Tidal is starting to be installed in Europe and offshore wind is booming.

All/most of Europe is building a lot more renewable generation. At the moment it's more likely that we'll see a lot of solar coming out of Italy and Greece than North Africa. I expect things won't move too fast in NA until there's been a bit more time for politics to sort themselves out.

That said, I seem to recall that two companies are working on HVDC lines under the Med.