Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The question is, how can reasonably priced electricity from Egypt or Mauretania
help us to solve our energy problems? The solution to this problem is simple. The
cheap electricity merely has to be transported to us. Figure 7.18 shows the top loca-
tions for obtaining this electricity and the possible transport routes to Europe.
Figure 7.18
Possibilities for importing renewable energy from North Africa to the EU,
along with long-term possible energy generation costs and full-load hours.
Technically as well as fi nancially, the transport of this energy is already viable today
through high - voltage - direct - current transmission. Transmission over a 5000 km -
long cable with losses of less than 15% is possible. These losses would amount to
around 0.5 cents per kilowatt hour, which must be added to the anticipated costs
for electricity generation of 3 to 4 cents per kilowatt hour. Added to this is the cost
of the lines, which works out to between 0.5 and 1 cent per kilowatt hour. Altogether
renewable energy could be produced at 4 to 6 cents per kilowatt hour, transported
to Europe and, in combination with photovoltaic, wind or solar thermal power
plants, guarantee high supply reliability.
At least part of the electricity supply for Central Europe could be covered in the
long term from power plants in Africa - and at a cost similar to our current electric-
ity supply. However, this scenario brings concerns about a new dependency on the
hot countries of North Africa.
