“Within six hours, deserts receive more energy from
the sun than humankind consumes within a year”
The world’s population is growing at a dramatically increasing rate. By 2050 the world population is estimated to reach ten billion. The current world population is 6.5 billion and is depleting the earth’s resources by using fossil fuels that in turn make carbon dioxide levels rise. This contributes to major pollution and increases climate changes worldwide. Fossil fuels are a depleting answer to supply to the world and its future generations. There is a plan, however, to use deserts to supply parts of the world with eco-friendly alternatives to fossil fuels. The Sahara desert, which occupies most of northern Africa, is the largest desert in the world. A project called Desertec is intending to use this vast desert. A four hundred billion plan created by the German Aerospace Center says that within forty years, solar thermal power plants will be capable of generating more than half the electricity needs in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
“Over ninety percent of the world’s population could be supplied with clean power from deserts by using technologies that are available today”
By stretching power lines across the Sahara desert and Mediterranean Sea, Desertec Industrial Initiative could supply fifteen percent of Europe’s electricity by 2050. These High-Voltage Direct Current transmission lines (HVDC) can transport electricity over long distances and produce very little smog. Concentrated solar power (CSP) will be placed in the Sahara “using mirrors to concentrate the sun’s rays on a fluid container. The super-heated liquid then drives turbines to generate electricity. The advantage over solar voltaic panels, which convert sunlight directly to electricity, is that if sufficient hot fluid is stored in containers, the generators can run all night”. This method is not new; it has been used in deserts in California since the mid-1980s. It is the first, however, to be implemented at such a large size.
Deserts never really seem to cross my mind. I know they’re there, but the desert just seems so empty and lifeless to me. I am glad to see that the desert is being implemented into an eco-friendly and sustainable way. This way I can think of the desert once in a while and know that it isn’t just a place that is hot, it’s a place that is helping other countries live in a way that will be beneficial for future generations.
9 comments:
I never thought of deserts as a place for power supply. This is such a great idea and I think it will help with the carbon dioxide and fossil fuel problem.
It is wonderful that places in our world that are often uninhabitable can be used to help us on such a grand scale. And although it is not under the best circumstances, it is great that people are discovering creative ways to generate energy because more than ever before, we need people to think and create and devise. We need to get up off our butts and do rather than just be. So, I applaud whoever came up with this idea in the first place because the only negative to using deserts for power is that it is not an instantaneous solution. It will be decades before we will be able to appreciate the benefits of the operation. Other than that though, it is a brilliant idea.
This is such an interesting post. I, like Courtney, never thought of deserts as a place that could produce energy. I think it's interesting that some of our technological advancements are helping the environment.
Its interesting to think that a desert, a place normally thought as very barren and inhospitable, can provide such vital energy. The one thing that does come to mind is that the solar planes are in an area full of abrasive particles, how long can they actually last before breaking? Aside from that, I liked this post and how informative it was. Good job!
Hi Mailyng,
This was such a fascinating post! I had never heard of this project before. Interesting that you and Annie each wrote about two important sources of renewable energy- solar and wind power- in the same week!
I checked out the Website and am eager to read more about the Destertec proposal. The part that really intrigues me is the notion of so many diverse countries from three distinct regions- Europe, the Middle East and North Africa- sharing this one resource- the Sahara sun. I do wonder about the drawbacks and cost of concentrating the production of energy in one place and transporting it over long distances. I'm excited to learn more- thank you.
Interesting post Mailyng, like everyone else, I did not know that the desert could be so bountiful of energy. But like Krystina said, how long before they break? Will they be expensive to repair or even repairable at all? I also was just wondering when you said "These High- Voltage Direct Current transmission lines (HDVC)" did you mean (HVDC) or is it actually that way?
Oops thanks for that comment Brandon! I had a typo. It is HVDC. I'm not sure about how long it will last before they break, but it should say on their website. They do cost a little bit more than regular transmission lines though.
This is a really encouraging post. It's nice to se real alternatives like this. Solar-energy is clearly a very plausible solution for reducing our use of fossil fuels and creating a more sustainable future. I was also very struck by the quote you included about ninety percent of the worlds population being provided energy with technology that is already available. Like I said, Its really encouraging to see that the technology is already available and all we have to do is employ it. However, we have to actually do this, so hopefully this plan will be acted upon.
I have always thought of a desert as a deserted place with no life, and no need for it, since there is nothing there. Who knew that a place so quiet, could provide electricity for people? That shows that we can find good things, and helpful things, in the most unusual places.
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