15 Jul 2009 11:07:14
Leading German enterprises sign up to Desertec CSP initiative
Leading companies from across Germany have signed a memorandum of understanding in Munich to harness the solar energy shined upon North Africa's deserts.
Some 12 enterprises in total - Deutsche Bank, E.ON, Munich Re, RWE and Siemens among them - have joined together to form the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII), in a bid to provide 15 percent of Europe's electricity requirements.
It will look into the technical, economic, political and environmental feasibility of a large-scale power generation project to produce renewable energy using CSP (concentrating solar panel) technology.
The concept of the DII, which the Guardian reported in June would become the world's largest industrial solar power project, was developed by global think-tank the Club of Rome.
ABB, Abengoa Solar, Cevital, HSH Nordbank, Man Solar Millennium, M+W Zander and Schott Solar have also signed up to be founding members of the initiative.
It is hoped that the scheme will allow for greater energy security across the EU, the Middle East and north Africa; growth and development opportunities in those regions and a significant reduction in European carbon dioxide emissions.
A DII planning entity is to be established under German law by October 31st 2009, after which point it is envisaged that more companies from a variety of nations will be able to join.
The German companies will work with the Desertec Foundation, which was established by members of the Club of Rome, the scientific TREC Network and Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan.
Dr Gerhard Knies, chairman of the supervisory board of the organisation, said: "The founding of the DII is a milestone in the Desertec Foundation's concept for global energy, water and climate security."
http://www.desertec.org/
