
The original DESERTEC concept was a fantastic idea and seemed to make a lot of sense…
It was a global renewable energy solution based on harnessing sustainable power from places where renewable sources of energy are at their most abundant. Basically, the world’s sun-rich deserts.
Let’s face it, deserts don’t provide much else, apart from sand. So why not try and harness this free natural resource (sun) that deserts provide in abundance.
The background:
In 2009 DESERTEC proposed to install a concentration of solar power systems, photovoltaic systems, and wind parks over the wide desert regions in North Africa, like the Sahara Desert.
The generated electricity would be transmitted to European and African countries by a super grid of high-voltage direct current cables.
It would provide a considerable part of the electricity demand of the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) countries and provide continental Europe with 15% of its electricity needs too.
A study in June 2012 (Desert Power 2050) found that the MENA region could meet all its power needs with renewable energy and export its excess power to create a €60 billion export industry.
The Sahara Desert was chosen as an ideal location as it’s exposed to bright sunshine nearly all the time, up to 97% of the daylight hours in the best cases. This is the sunniest area in the world.
What’s DESERTEC?
For clarity DESERTEC was an ‘international’ consortium of companies with weighty shareholders like EON, Munich Re, Siemens and Deutsche Bank.
It was private-sector initiative with the aim of translating the desert renewable energy concept into a profitable business project, by providing around 20 per cent of Europe’s electricity by 2050, whilst solving the electricity needs of a fast expanding MENA population without greenhouse gases..
The tentative total cost of this project had been estimated at €400 billion, and an exact proposal, including technical and financial requirements, was due to be delivered by 2013.
What happened?
But then in mid-2013 DESERTEC CEO (Paul van Son) abandoned its strategy, killing hopes of boosting the regions share of renewable electricity with cheap external supplies.
In a telephone interview with EURACTIV Paul van Son admitted that the project’s initial export-focus represented “one-dimensional thinking” and conceded Europe can provide its needs indigenously.
Peter Droege, president of Eurosolar argues. “DESERTEC is not viable in its original form because it is too expensive and utopian. It has essentially collapsed into a bilateral deal.”
DESERTEC as an organisation has shrunk dramatically, and its vision has had to change somewhat, with a concentration on smaller more local projects in Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria.
What’s the real reason the project to failed?
Was it too expensive? €400 billion is an awful lot of money.
But on the flip side there’s been much more money wasted than this throughout the region, with the aim of controlling fossil fuel reserves.
Was it really because Europe wouldn’t purchase the 20% extra capacity of electricity, which would lose the project €60 million a year, and apparently make it unviable?
Personally, I’m betting there’s other factors at play. With lots of powerful people and organisations set to lose if solar powered electricity was made abundantly available at affordable prices.
So, what next?
With a global pandemic still raging and BREXIT coming to a climax, it’s easy to forget that we’re still in the middle of global climate crisis, which may have much worse consequences than the other two.
We can all still do our own little bit to help slow down climate change and stop temperatures rising.
In our case we’re planting trees for each customer who takes any one of our monthly subscription office technology solutions. Things like print technology, internet phones & laptop bundles.
But realistically, it’s a drop in the ocean compared to what’s required globally.
Fossil fuels are a major contributor to the problem, and unless we come up with a solution to allow developing nations to grow and prosper through affordable green energy, its not going to stop.
Can the desert be the solution?
The original concept of DESERTEC sounds like it was the answer to me. But the projects failure seems to be down to a lack of funding, brought on by corporate and political power.
We need to forget the €60 billion a year for electricity export to Europe, which the success of the DESERTEC project seemed to be built around.
And just get on with using the world’s deserts as a source of global green energy, no matter what the financial cost.
It should be funded (on head of population) by all global governments, and governed by an organisation like the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) or the United Nations (UN).
…what say you?