A large solar energy project in the Sahara is underway, which will provide electricity to British homes.
The Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII) group, that will provide a network of solar plants in north Africa harnessing the sun’s rays, will be the biggest in the world, leaving behind the current largest installation already running at Andasol in southern Spain.
It is hoped that the project will eventually provide 15% of Europe’s electricity by 2050, combined with other similar amounts of electricity for countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
According to figures, it is possible to meet the energy demands of the world, by covering as little as 1% of the world’s deserts.
Dr Gerry Wolff , Coordinator of DESERTEC-UK, which is a group of British investors in the project, said that the people of UK will start using the desert electricity produced in the Sahara within five years.
An important point that must be remembered is that the electricity will be for people throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. If everyone is benefiting, the project will surely run smoothly.
The DII group hopes to begin building the huge solar plants within three years and delivering energy by 2015. Moreover, instead of using photovoltaic solar panels to absorb the sun’s blistering rays, the project plans to use hundreds of giant mirrors that will reflect the light and concentrate it at a focal point, such as a tower next to the field of mirrors.
Similar technology is already being employed at the PS10 and PS20 CSP plants near Seville in Spain.
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