Europe Wants to Switch on Saharan Solar Power by at Least 2015

It now seems that the race to harness the sun’s power is starting to heat up. This goes double for the Sahara and Middle Eastern deserts. There could be easier ways for Europe to meet its need for clean energy, but right now it is starting to focus a lot on solar farms in the Sahara. According to the European commission’s Institute for Energy, it would require the capture of just 0.3 percent of the light falling on the Sahara and Middle Eastern deserts to meet all of Europe’s energy needs.

Already, several groups have come up with plans to harness the sun in Africa to make their electricity. This energy that is taken in from the sun would then be exported to Europe or used to turn deserts into forests. This would be done by using the power to desalinate sea water.

European energy commissioner Gunther Oettinger said that Europe will be importing hundreds of megawatts of solar generated electricity from north Africa within five years. The European Union is committed to sourcing 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

So far the most advanced planning has been done by Desertec Industrial Initiative. Their aim is to provide 15 percent of Europe’s electricity needs by 2059 or earlier. This will be done via power lines that stretch across the desert and the Mediterranean. It is a $400 billion plan and is supported by some of Germany’s biggest companies.

Nine European Union governments, which does include the UK, are already planning to build an advanced high voltage, direct current network within the next decade. Europe’s first electricity grid dedicated to renewable power took a step forward just earlier this year.