The Desertec Initiative is gaining more support as the consortium, currently led by German companies, is set to add support from other companies from Spain, Italy, France, Morocco, and Tunisia. The project will use concentrating solar power (CSP) to be placed in the Sahara desert aiming to transport the energy to Europe (Siemens’ CEO Answers Questions about Desertec).
Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII) CEO Paul van Son told reporters that many companies had expressed an interest in joining the consortium which includes E.ON, RWE, and Siemens. While the group also has an Algerian player onboard, Cevital, more North African companies are anticipated to get involved. And why shouldn’t they – it’s their countries that will be involved in the scheme.
"With the new partners we’ll have a broader base. That’s important for acceptance. It’s important that we have companies involved from MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa)," said Van Son, according to Reuters.
However, as is the case getting projects up and away in Africa, is the legal framework required to propel the ideas (Desertec’s New JV Plans Sahara Energy Export in Five Years). Spokesman for DII, Alexander Mohanty said that this could take the form of feed-in tariffs (FITs). It was rumored that Egypt was considering implementing an FIT system, but as Alternative Energy Africa reported, solar is progressing very slowly – if at all – in Egypt, so how can the country handle such a large project (Egypt & Solar: Not Cuttin’ It)?
"If we don’t get this investment feasible, the whole project won’t work," Mohanty said.
Yet, with such big names already onboard, investment is secondary compared to the other issues the project faces. One major obstacle besides the legal framework that could become more of an issue is the political tension among the countries and their already fragile infrastructures. The border between Morocco and Algeria is shut and relations are poisoned by a dispute about the Western Sahara. Egypt will hold presidential elections next year, which could lead to more uncertainty within the country.
And while those are serious concerns, others question the reality of Desertec altogether (Desertec = Problematic) particularly using CSP in a region that already faces water scarcity.
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