According to a report by Reuters, Paul van Son, the director of the Desertec Industrial Initiative (the Saharan desert project to bring solar energy to Europe), said the unrest sweeping Egypt and Tunisia is not detrimental to its planned project. The report said that van Son was “concerned about near-term turmoil in the region but confident changes will improve the medium and long-term outlook.”
Founded by mostly German companies in 2009, the 400 billion euro ($545 billion) project will use mirrors to harness the sun’s rays to produce steam and drive turbines for electricity generation in the Sahara region within the next decade.
"Obviously we’re concerned about how things unfold in the short term," van Son said. "We’re hopeful it remains peaceful and there will be swift developments positive for young people. For the medium- and long-term we’re very positive."
"I believe large infrastructure projects like this will contribute to stability," van Son he added. "It’s about the development of new industries in the region, investment, job creation and the transfer of knowledge and know-how. There is a need for jobs and prospects for the young local populations."
The Desertec project estimated at around $600 billion is spearheaded by a number of companies with a strong German flavor, and is just one of a few planned mega projects planned to export solar energy gathered from North African deserts to Europe.