desert solar power to light up the world: The struggle Desertec 
idea that promises to give light to the planet using a portion of desert as large as the Lombardy Green energy and integration of electricity markets with the Maghreb. For the European Commission that is the winning strategy for the future of EU member states. It is also, needless to say, the most effective way to prevent tragedies such as the environment that has for more than two months, is affecting the Gulf of Mexico and putting at risk the credibility of U.S. President Barack Obama.
For European Energy Commissioner, Günther Oettinger, the desirable solution is called Desertec: the innovative idea, the whole of Germany, which would guarantee the provision of electricity to the citizens through the use of solar energy in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. A few days ago the plan was discussed in Algiers by the same Oettinger and Youcef Yousfi, Amina Afif Chelbi and Benkhadra, energy ministers of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. "I'm sure - has taken at the end of the summit Oettinger - that over the next five years will reach the European market for electricity production of the first facilities located in North Africa." Commissioner for the road is still long - we are talking about 20-40 years to complete the entire project - but even if feasible will require substantial capital to be able to go. The cardinal principle of
Desertec is based on the exploitation of sunlight in the desert areas that will be processed through the use of large facilities, with steam, in turn, activates a turbine that generates electricity as a central municipality. The issues raised by the consortium Desertec, project manager and consists of 12 companies, are really impressive: it would be enough to cover three collector arrays with thousands of a desert area, 40 million square miles, to meet global energy demand equivalent to 18 000 TW / h per year.
The target set in Algiers with a concrete plan of action signed by the heads of energy and, for now, much less ambitious and aims to supply over the next five years the area Eumenes (Europe, Middle East and North Africa) by facilitating a pilot project. The portion of electricity for the needs of the inhabitants of the Old Continent will, for the moment, only 15 percent. But the commitment of Brussels seems to be very serious because of the approaching
time limit was set in 2020, the obligation for the EU to produce green sources by 20 percent of its total energy . Desertec, as claimed by Oettinger, could be conducive to this and other results, since, as argued by Gerhard Knies, the chairman of the supervisory board of the consortium,
"In less than six hours deserts receive more energy from the sun than the 'humanity consumes in a year ". For the promoters of the platform, including the Italian Enel Green, who entered the consortium in March, the benefits would be more than one. With constant work aimed at creating a network connection submarine designed for the transportation of all forms of non-polluting energy, the network could Desertec, with an area of \u200b\u200blarge systems as Lombardy, giving sufficient access energy to 90 percent of the world population. No problem even for distances as the modern high-voltage lines that will be used will keep the level of energy losses below 3 percent for every 1000 km. And yet, they can activate new jobs in the Maghreb countries: a panel for the construction of a 250 MW unit will be deployed between one thousand workers and engineers for about 2-3 years. In addition, the enormous amount of energy, enough even to desalinate large quantities of sea water will be allocated to those countries that already now trudging to find available resources for drinking water. The studies already made that claim with a collector 250 MW and 200 MW turbine will be 100 000 cubic meters of purified water per day more than 4 million liter per hour.
Despite the advantages on paper there is already one who raises numerous objections. First on the "transaction costs", according to a first estimate, would amount to 450 billion euro: 20 needed to build transmission lines from 5 GW each. Enormity that, reassured by the consortium, could be reached immediately "with appropriate measures such as fixed rates had been developed in Spain and Germany. The need for these measures - they add to Monaco - would be reduced or disappear if we suppress state subsidies to fossil fuels or nuclear weapons and components are manufactured on a large scale. " Currently the rates would be prohibitive if you think that solar generated electricity would be charged a cost ranging between 125 and 130 euro per MW / hour compared with 48 € of the energy produced by coal power plants. Economic effort, however, may decrease with the standardization of the product which, when completely operational, will ensure a perfect balance of supply and demand and thus avoid waste. So what will ensure the availability of electricity during the night and periods of excessive cloud cover since the super-grid connection can be used for the transport of gas and biofuels. The process is already operational since 1985 in California where more than one company has used it in commercial use. The cut would also involve economic, Read BP case, the additional costs direct or indirect environmental damage and for the disposal of waste into the environment.
What's missing then? By the group repeated that the only element that prevents the start of the project is the lack of a strong political framework in some states that are potential producers of solar electricity. They do not seem enough predictions of the authors argue that "In the case of a voluntary interruption of supply from the producing countries will lose immediate revenue from energy sales, in contrast to what happens to the energy generated from fossil fuels that can store and sell later at higher price. This is compounded by the loss of confidence in the nations of the Middle East and North Africa from their customers and prospective donors. " The latter, both public and private, as very concerned the deal, do not put a penny unless it has previously received assurances on the safety of their investments.
Antonio Marafioti
Sources: - http://www.desertec.org/downloads/summary_it.pdf;
- http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2010/07/05/ energia-solare-del-deserto-per-illuminare-il-mondo-la-soluzione-ai-disastri-ambientali/36556 /
