Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 5
Solar resources of the world's six deserts (in TW)
found in abundance in the Sahara, namely, silica
and sunlight (Fig. 5 ) (Kurokawa et al. 2009 ).
The strategic objective of SSB is the establish-
ment of a 'Global Clean Energy Superhighway' as
the solution to global energy challenges, water
shortages, levelling of electric power supply in the
world, climate change and other environmental
problems arising from the current fossil fuel heavy
global energy paradigm. The development and
realisation of the SSB project, in the Sahara of
Algeria which covers a total area of 2,048,297 km 2 ,
approximately 86 % of the total area of the coun-
try, will tackle the key challenges and issues
related to the fi eld of PV putting forward the mate-
rial to research and development perspective and
promoting innovative processes for solar-grade Si
with a focus on the utilisation of Sahara sands.
Although solar power-producing devices have
been around for over 50 years, solar electricity
devices often referred to as PV are still consid-
ered as a cutting-edge technology. Globally, there
are about 1,700 TW of solar power theoretically
available over land for PV. The capture of even
1 % of this power would supply more than the
world's power needs. The cumulative installed
solar PV power at the end of 2007 was 8.7 GW,
with less than 1 GW in the form of PV power sta-
tions, and most of them rest on rooftops (Jacobson
2009 ). The capacity factor of solar PV ranges
from 0.1 to 0.2, depending on location, cloudi-
ness, panel tilt and effi ciency of the panel. Current
technology of PV capacity factors rarely exceed
0.2 based on calculations that account for many
factors, including solar cell temperature, conver-
sion losses and solar isolation (NREL 2008 ). PV
systems have a number of merits and unique
advantages over conventional power-generating
technologies. PV systems can be designed for a
variety of applications and operational require-
ments and can be used for either centralised or
distributed power generation. Energy indepen-
dence and environmental compatibility are two
attractive features of PV systems. The fuel (sun-
light) is free and no noise or pollution is created
from operating PV systems. In general, PV sys-
tems that are well designed and properly installed
require minimal maintenance and have long ser-
vice lifetimes. However, at present, the high cost
of PV modules and equipment are the primary
limiting factor for the technology.
SSB will, therefore, help to migrate from the
unsustainable currently excessive fossil fuel-based
global energy paradigm to a more sustainable one.
It will also help to meet global energy challenges
and mitigate climate change and other environmen-
tal problems. SSB is more than an energy solution.
It is an integrated community, socio-economic,
industrial, agricultural, environmental and science
and technology development solution. In particu-
lar, through desalination and adequate irrigation
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