Welcome to DESERTEC

Jul 24, 2008 - trecers.net

By far the largest, technically accessible source of energy on the planet is to be found in the deserts around the equatorial regions of the earth. The DESERTEC Concept is designed to bring deserts and existing technology into service to improve global security of energy, water and the climate. To this end we propose Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EU-MENA) begin to cooperate in the production of electricity and desalinated water using concentrating solar thermal power and wind turbines in the MENA deserts. These technologies can meet the growing demands for power production and seawater desalination in the MENA region, and produce clean electrical power that can be transmitted via High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission lines with relatively little transmission loss to Europe (10-15%). From a political point of view, implementing DESERTEC in countries like Australia, China, India and the USA, should be even easier. The technologies necessary to realize the DESERTEC concept have already been developed and some of them have been in use for decades. Based on satellite data, several studies by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) confirm the availability of solar energy. The developments in energy provision and the climate situation gives added urgency to implementing this concept. All that is needed now is the political will and the right framework of incentives.

Euro-Supergrid with a EU-MENA-Connection: Sketch of possible infrastructure for a sustainable supply of power to EUrope, the Middle East and North Africa (EU-MENA). Euro-Supergrid with a EU-MENA-Connection: Sketch of possible infrastructure for a sustainable supply of power to EUrope, the Middle East and North Africa (EU-MENA).

Euro-Supergrid with a EU-MENA-Connection: Sketch of possible infrastructure for a sustainable supply of power to EUrope, the Middle East and North Africa (EU-MENA).

The Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) was founded (pdf) in 2003 by The Club of Rome, the Hamburg Climate Protection Foundation and the National Energy Research Center of Jordan (NERC). TREC, together with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has developed the DESERTEC Concept and completed the necessary research. TREC is now making this concept a reality in cooperation with people in politics, industry and the world of finance. A DESERTEC Foundation to strengthen these activities is being formed.

The core of TREC is an international network of scientists, politicians and other experts in the development and implementation of renewable forms of energy. The members of TREC, approximately 60 in number (including His Royal Highness Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan), are in regular contact with national governments and private investors, with the aim of communicating the benefits that may be obtained from the cooperative use of solar and wind energy and promoting specific projects in this field. Regional DESERTEC networks disseminate the ideas in their home countries.