Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Mediterranean Solar Plan would not be suitable hosts for this project. So far the
MSP has been purely political and thus can only create the legal framework for
industrial initiatives,
21
and the UM has not yet established the Secretariat.
22
Finally,
European states are not capable of being or are not willing to be an active actor
within the concept. This is due to political animosity between different states and
their reluctance to spend their own money and time on this project.
1.1.1.1 Private Sector
The solution would be to include a private investor.
23
To date, there are several
companies interested in developing a solar thermal power plant in the MENA
region. However, there is no investor at the moment actively trying to implement
a solar thermal project within the MENA region. The last serious attempt to
implement a solar thermal project in the MENA region was made by Dii, but it
failed by the end of 2014. Until 2014, Desertec almost served as an epitome for
solar thermal projects. It is important to differ between the three different terms
connected with the word Desertec as only Dii failed. First of all, there is the
“Desertec Foundation”, secondly the “Desertec Concept” and, finally, Dii.
1.1.1.1.1 Organization and Intentions of Desertec
The “Desertec Concept” started in 2003 and was designed by the Club of Rome and
Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC).
24
One of the main
purposes of the Desertec Concept is the construction of a MENA-wide solar
thermal network.
25
The Desertec Concept does not necessarily limit its focus to
supplying Europe. Instead it looks towards the energy needs of the host state.
26
Between 2004 and 2007, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) released three
feasibility studies concerning the Desertec Concept and approved its practicabil-
ity.
27
In this examination the term “Desertec Concept” is used as an example of a
solar thermal power plant project. Up-to-date the Desertec Concept is the most
sophisticated solar thermal project.
21
Ruchser (
2010
).
22
Werenfels and Westphal (
2010
), 1 (21).
23
Deutscher Bundestag (
2009
), 8; Europ
¨
ische Kommission (
2006
), 7.
24
Desertec Foundation (
2009b
); Desertec-UK (
2010
); The Club of Rome was founded in 1968 by
100 people, each from different cultural backgrounds and representing the five continents, in: The
Club of Rome (
2014
).
25
Desertec Foundation (
2009c
); Desertec Foundation (
2014b
).
26
While Algeria interest is more towards exporting additional energy, Morocco has a big energy
demand itself and would rather use the energy itself, in: Knies (
2008
).
27
Bundesumweltministerium (
2005
); German Aerospace Center (DLR) et al. (
2005
); German
Aerospace Center (DLR) et al. (
2006
); German Aerospace Center (DLR) et al. (
2007
).
