Bringing the Desertec vision into reality
Dii: Power generation from sun and wind energy in the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Download a high-resolution Dii map for free use in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. (Publications and download...)
Energy is one of the crucial elements for life on earth. The main sources of energy that we use today are exhaustible and have an impact on our natural environment. In order to secure living conditions for present and future generations, a reliable and sustainable supply of energy will, thus, be one of the major challenges of mankind.
The Desertec vision points at the enormous amounts of energy that is being delivered every day by the sun to the deserts of our earth. They receive in six hours as much energy from the sun as mankind consumes in one year. In addition, some deserts have very good wind sites. The deserts would enable a secure, sufficient and affordable energy delivery for the future world population from clean and inexhaustible sources. Plenty of electric energy can be generated from these sources, and existing technologies would be able to deliver this energy to the different energy markets day and night.
The Desertec vision would include emerging applications such as energy for seawater desalination and power for electric mobility.
On the long term power from deserts could in a controllable
way complement all the other available sources of renewable energies as necessary for a secure and sustainable energy future. As a result of an expanding energy cooperation Europe (EU), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) now have a unique chance to start a new era which is based on partnership and which will contribute to their joint prosperity.
On 26 and 27 October 2010, the Dii Industry Initiative Annual Conference and Expo 2010 - Energy from the desert will take place in Barcelona, Spain. Participants and experts from around the world interested in the DESERTEC concept, Dii’s vision, mission and objectives will discuss challenges and possible solutions for large-scale production of electricity from sun and wind in the deserts. We invite you to register now and gain further insight in one of the world’s most exciting renewable energy joint ventures!