Global Sustainable Energy Initiative
DESERTEC is the start of a global energy revolution [1]
European technology will harvest solar energy from the African deserts. The 400 billion EUR project will inaugurate the change of the global energy economy. The energy giant EWE, Siemens, Deutsche Bank and reinsurance company Rück are involved. The largest green-energy project in the world will provide around 15 percent of Europe's energy needs. However German firms say they cannot do it alone. They seek the funding of various European governments.
Solar electricity from Desertec may be used for the production of hydrogen as fuel for transportation. This will reduce the European energy dependence on oil, gas and coal. European corporations may become leading in the global energy business providing electricity and the fuel for cars. Read more
[1] Energy from North Africa. Massive European Solar Project Set for Launch. Spiegel Online. 16.06.2009.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,630699,00.html
Detailed Informations:
| Realisation of Arabian Desert Solar Energy: Phase 1 PDF DOWNLOAD Considering the difficulties of the industrial states to develop solar energy from the Desert, a strategy for the Arab states as owner of the most solar promising territories was developed. For details see please the presentation. |
The Global Energy Initiative: Phase 2 PDF DOWNLOAD Using the feed-back from Phase 1 the area should be increased. Rotation of the location of the modules should turn the arid zones back to arable regions. The Arabian countries may secure the access to the global energy market of solar electricity and hydrogen. The Global Energy Initiative secures the global energy demand and reduces emission, good for climate. |
| Roadmap to the Global Energy Initiative PDF DOWNLOAD See a summary and the detailed Roadmap to be initiated at the ClimateConeference at Copenhagen 2009. The timetable of the realisation of the Global Energy Initiative is explained. |
| Presentation of the Feasibility Study PDF DOWNLOAD The Feasibility Study of the Arabian Consortium is presente at a quick glance. |
| Feasibility Study Part 1 PDF DOWNLOAD The creation of the solar electric power plants in the desert and the construction if the connection with the European grid is focused . |
| Feasibility Study Part 2 PDF DOWNLOAD The production of hydrogen by electrolysers and the pay-off of investments is explained. |
| The Australian, Indian and US Alternatives PDF DOWNLOAD Australia may be selected to start the project because of ihe political stability of the continent. The Thar Desert in India is a promising location because it is close to important consumer cetres. The US deserts could reduce pressure on gas prices. |
| How Governments may support clean fuel PDF DOWNLOAD Instead of supporting the old technologies of Chrysler, GM and other dying industrial branches, Governments have to follow a plan to a new sustainable economy. All will profit. Look at "Transportation Support" |
| The US Initiative PDF DOWNLOAD A suggestion of how the administration of Obama and Steven Chu might decarbonize US energy economy |
The Realisation of Arabian Desert Solar Energy
Considering the difficulties of the industrial states to develop solar energy from the Desert, a strategy for the Arab states as owner of the most solar promising territories was developed. For details see please the presentation.
The Solar Energy Wealth of the Arab States
The Sahara cover an enormous part of North Africa. Together with extensive desert areas of the Middle East it is the part of the world with optimal conditions for the installation of photovoltaic arrays and solar thermal parabolic trough power plants.
Electricity in Europe is mainly produced by nuclear power plants and burning brown coal. Both are seen as extremely unfriendly to nature.
Local solar electricity is being supported by the European governments but will never produce the bulk amounts demanded by the growing European market. Solar incidence is to low and there is not sufficient area available.
Inability of Industrial States to develop Solar Energy
The government of industrial countries like Germany, England and the European Commission have not signalised interest on solar energy and hydrogen technology.
There is a disagreement on strategies which is nourished by electricity providers such as EdF, E.ON, EWE, ENEL, Vattenfall Elactrabel, EnBW, Endesa, Iderbola, British Energy.
These Companies rely mainly on nuclear power 32%, coal 30% to produce electricity. They defend their market share with all their might, persuading everybody that other energy sources (which are out of their hands) are to expensive and not feasible.
The Arabian deserts have both important qualities needed for the project:
- Sufficient area which does not compete with agriculture or other uses.
- High solar incidence during all seasons.
Solar energy is the greatest wealth of the Islamic world which has not been exploited yet. It is renewable clean energy which is free of pollution and will last forever.
Actual Reseach on Hydrogen in Europe
Norway started the "Hydrogen Road" between Oslo and Stavanger. The first Toyota Prius cars are driving in Norway with Hydrogen from the plant of Herøya. This technology provides a solution for production, storage, transportation and the use of hydrogen as energy source. Othe technologies were developed in Europe under EU projects..
However, this technology will hardly acquire global dimensions if a cheap source of hydrogen will not be available.
It will be of little help when Europe cleans its air, but USA, China and India not joining these efforts. Growing global demand of energy faces limited resources of fossil reservoirs and uranium.
Growing radioactive waste and increase of incidents in nuclear power plants.
All efforts must therefore be focused on global dimensions. The photovoltaic/hydrogen economy faces promising incentives with oil prices climbing steadily.
Growing global demand of energy faces limited resources of fossil reservoirs and uranium.
Growing radioactive waste and increase of incidents in nuclear power plants.
All efforts must be therefore be focused on global dimensions. The hydrogen economy faces promising incentives with oil prices climbing steadily.
Protecting the climate is the global challenge which can be integrated in the EU-Africa Energy Partnership, proposed by The European Commission, which will be formally adopted at the EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon in December:
Establishing the economy of solar energy
Phase 1
Exploratory talks of Saudi Arabia and other desert states such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Kuwait to join the Project and collateral contract of land use.
Construction of a first test areal comprising 15 km² of photovoltaic cells could deliver Gigawatt/h/day. Construction of Hydrogen Plant. converting 900.000 Gigawatt/h/year in 18.000.000Tons of hydrogen.
This may be accomplished in part using parabolic mirror systems instead of PV modules to test efficiency under desert conditions.
Benefits of the project:
Using the Sun Belt as international field of production of solar energy could develop renewable energy technology, reduces carbon dioxide emission, restore desert regions.
Consuming the hydrogen using the pathways of already existent technologies.
- 45.000.000 Tons of oil can be spared
- Almost zero green gases would be emitted by its burning.
- Climate change due to shadowing the area would regain it for agriculture.
Phase 2
Using the feed-back from Phase 1 the area should be increased. Rotation of the location of the modules should turn the arid zones back to arable regions.
Low-priced access of produced hydrogen to the international energy market.
This would be an enormous aid to reduce poverty as the hosting countries could demand royalties for their wealth of sun energy.
Complementary remark
Please note that there are more efficient ways to produce hydrogen, such as wind power, however they all do not provide local shadow and temperature reduction for the arid region such as done by using photovoltaic technique.
Suggested action plan
The German government is strongly involved in the phase-out of nuclear energy. With defects on the nuclear plants of Vattenfall and seismic damages in the nuclear plants in Japan in July 2007, the pressure on the German Chancellor Angela Merkel for alternatives on nuclear and fossil energy increases. It is obvious that Merkel´s call for a mix of small climate contributions such as biogas, biodiesel, windenergy more efficiency in electrical devices cannot reduce global CO2 emission.
The Desert Energy Project, however can become the main pillar of global energy politic of Merkel and here commitment to carbon emission at the G8 in Heiligendamm and here Presidency of the European Union in January- June 2007. The Desert Energy Project can be developed and be presented by the German Government at the Climate Conference in Bali as a global solution of energy with zero emission.
EU Commission participation
EU should welcome the proposal as a part of its commitment to the reduction of Carbon dioxide emission, uttered during the recent G8 Summit in Heiligendamm and the commitment of the EU to cooperate to reduce poverty of developing countries. It will be an important contribution to the UN Climate Conference in Bali
A global solar energy economy
The climate change will not be avoided with local solutions in Europe. China, USA and India must join worldwide efforts to reduce emission of greenhouse gases. The future of energy source lies in solar energy. To cope with increasing demand of energy very large photovoltaic modules must be installed. The world deserts offer sufficient area which does not compete with agriculture. The energy can be used for electrical appliances and/or for the production of hydrogen as fuel for cars, power plants and building warming.
The Arab states being solidly engaged in energy economy, may accomplish the global grid project by starting solar power plants in Africa and Middle East deserts. The revenues of the resulting energy export to the European grid can finance the expansion of the Arab corporation to India, China, Australia and Mexico to built the global grid.
Phases of the Photovoltaic/Hydrogen Energy Economy
- Installing solar energy plants in the desert of Africa and the Middle East to export energy to the European grid.
- The revenues from this export finances the expansion to India, China and Australia supplying Asia and Japan.
The Mexican desert may then complete the global grid.
Other carbon-free energy sources can easily be influenced by storm or compete with food production. They are important for local solutions, however they do not provide sufficient energy which is needed to phase out carbon based and nuclear based energy. The PV electricity and the hydrogen economy can be used as fuel and is an energy storage system.
Food Versus Fuel
OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook: 2007-2016 [1] Download
According to the FAO outlook food prices in international trade will remain high during the next 10 years . This is due to drought related supply shortfalls, low stocks, increased feedstock demand for bio-fuel production, and policy reforms.
Net food importing developing countries as well as the poor in urban populations will be hit hard. Bio-fuel demand for the same feedstock used for animal feed increases food prices and leads to food shortage. This will go on as cereals, sugar, oilseed and vegetable oils are used for the production of fossil fuel substitutes, competing which land which could be used for food crops.
It is absurd to back bio-fuel because it still produces greenhouse emission, it harms the ecology and the environment and endangers food supply. Green parties and NGOs should stop running behind small local initiatives which do not meet the real demands of decades to come. Solar energy from PV, parabolic reflectors, and hydrogen production in desert regions do not compete with food and have zero emission.
[1] OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook: 2007-2016
http://www.oecd.org/document/38/0,3343,en_2649_201185_38891878_1_1_1_1,00.htmlPhase 1