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United by desert energy – North Africa, Middle East, and Europe join forces on future energy supply
A joint power network involving North Africa, the Middle East and Europe (EUMENA) offers clear benefits to all involved. This is the key finding of the "Desert Power 2050" study, which was presented by the industrial initiative Dii in Munich on 21 June 2012. "A sustainable supply of power from renewable sources that is virtually free of CO2 can best be achieved by cooperation between the peoples of Europe and both sides of the Mediterranean. It is essential to develop such a market. Using the energy of the wind and the sun, we can leave the era of fossil fuels behind us and realize the Desertec vision", explains Paul van Son, CEO of Dii.
Wind and sun to be major players by 2050
"Desert Power 2050" demonstrates that the abundance of sun and wind in the EUMENA region will enable the creation of a joint power network that will entail more than 90% renewables. This benefits all those involved: the nations of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) can meet their expanding needs for power with renewable energy, while developing an export industry from their excess power with an annual volume worth more than 60 billion euros. By importing up to 20 percent of its power from the deserts, Europe could save 30 euros for each megawatt hour of desert power, according to Dii. This would be an economical strategy for successfully achieving the EU’s climate protection goals.
The north and south would become the powerhouses of this joint network, supported by wind and hydropower in Scandinavia, as well as wind and solar energy in the MENA region. The wind and sun would be powerful ingredients in the joint energy mix, assuming a share of about a half and a quarter, respectively.
Supply and demand will complement one other – both regionally and seasonally – according to the findings of "Desert Power 2050". With its constant supply of wind and solar energy throughout the year, the MENA region can cover Europe’s energy needs without the latter having to build costly excess capacities. A further benefit of the power network is the enhanced security of supply to all nations concerned. A renewables-based network would lead to mutual reliance among the countries involved, complemented by inexpensive imports from the south and the north.
Grid expansion urgently required
"To produce renewable energy in areas with optimal resources, and relay that energy to areas with the highest demand – this is the joint future of the EUMENA region, one for which the foundations must be laid right now", according to Managing Director of Dii, Aglaia Wieland, who adds: "An expansion of the network beyond national borders, and the creation of a regulatory framework for desert power, will be the major milestones in the coming years. The political decisions to be made today will determine whether the framework for a sustainable energy network can be successfully constructed. The fact that this makes sense is all too clear from "Desert Power 2050".
In its methods, "Desert Power 2050" is entering new territory. "For the first time ever, we are seeing the full perspective of the EUMENA region, which includes, for instance, the growing consumption of power in the MENA states", explains Mario Ragwitz, Head of the Business Unit for Renewable Energies at the Fraunhofer Institute for System and Innovation Research (ISI), one of the major contributors to the "Desert Power 2050" study. The power requirements of the MENA states are likely to more than quadruple by 2050, totaling more than 3000 terawatt hours. Unlike in Europe, the population will also grow considerably by the middle of the century, thus heightening the demand for new jobs. Desert energy could be a stimulus for growth and make an important contribution when it comes to coping with the social and economic challenges in North Africa and the Middle East. A second phase of Desert Power 2050 ("Getting Started") will examine this topic in greater depth in the next few months, with discussions including political, scientific, and industrial stakeholders. The objective is to formulate recommendations for the regulatory steps required in the years to come.
Dii reference projects in the Maghreb states achieve a volume of 2.5 gigawatts
Dii is preparing reference projects in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia amounting to 2.5 gigawatts. At present, Morocco accounts for 500 megawatts (MW). Half of this project has already been specified with 150 MW solar thermal energy and 100 MW photovoltaic and wind energy. Power will first be produced at these plants in 2014. The plans for Algeria and Tunisia currently involve 1 gigawatt per country. National strategies developed by Dii in close cooperation with local partners and stakeholders form the basis for all reference projects.
Dii
With its 56 partners in 15 countries, Dii aims to turn the Desertec vision into reality. Founded in 2009, the industrial initiative focuses its activities on the creation of a market for renewable energy that incorporates the desert regions of North Africa and the Middle East on an industrial scale. Such activities include the development of integrated energy markets and the identification of suitable technologies for producing and transmitting electricity.
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