Deserts to Power The World

A bold plan to power the world from areas of desert will be discussed next week at a conference of experts in Hanover. Electricity may be generated in those areas using the simple proven technique of 'concentrating solar power' (CSP). This means concentrating sunlight using mirrors and using the resulting heat to create steam to drive turbines and generators, just like a conventional power station. Solar electricity may be transmitted to where it is needed using highly-efficient 'HVDC' transmission lines.

"These technologies are well-established and ready to use now" said Dr Gerhard Knies, coordinator of the 'TREC' international network of scientists and engineers that have developed this 'DESERTEC' plan. "The potential is absolutely colossal. In principle, all of the world's energy needs could be met from a small portion of the world's deserts, although it would be sensible to develop other sources of renewable energy as well."

At the Energy Forum in the Hanover Fair, an international panel of experts will discuss how the production and installation of CSP plants may be ramped up to supply 10,000 gigawatts of power - about half the electricity that the world will be using in 2050. "Allowing for the time needed to get things moving, the world will need to be installing about 1 gigawatt of solar collector capacity every day" said Dr Knies.

"We have the technical know-how and the industrial capability." said Dr Knies "With the right framework of incentives, there will be no shortage of investors to fund these developments. Inexhaustible sources of energy like CSP are on their way to becoming cheaper than energy from dwindling supplies of fossil fuels. The main thing that is missing at present is an understanding of how urgent it is to replace dirty and dangerous sources of power with clean and safe sources like CSP."

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