Answers on the partnership with North Africa and Middle East
How do the MENA countries benefit from Desertec and the activities of Dii?
The energy sectors in each of the North African and Middle Eastern nations have very diverse structures. Some countries have their own fossil fuel resources, whereas others are dependent on energy imports. In the coming decades, the entire region will see a serious growth in its population and in turn a growth in the demand for energy. The Desertec vision of renewable power generated in the desert exposes the countries in the region to a number of economic, ecological and socio-economic opportunities:
- Enhanced security of supply from sustainable energies for their own economies and people by stabilising the local energy supply
- The option to export clean energy to Europe and possibly to other regions
- Creation of local industries, jobs and knowledge transfer
- Reduction in the dependency on volatile fuel prices and fossil fuels as a whole
- Development of a forward-looking, sustainable and innovative energy infrastructure in light of dwindling fossil resources; countries that (still) have substantial fossil fuel resources are given the opportunity to invest in sustainable energy supplies
- Growth and economic stimuli resulting from substantial investment
- Further economic diversification
- Reduction in CO2 emissions
- Fighting poverty – improving standards of living
- Improving cooperation between the MENA nations, and with Europe
- Securing political stability
Will Desertec cause Europe to become dependent on energy from politically unstable countries?
No, certainly not. By tapping a further source of energy in the MENA region in the form of desert power, we are diversifying our energy supplies and thereby reducing our dependency hitherto on gas and petroleum. The entire region can therefore secure a lasting supply of energy. The same applies to Europe, where in the long term desert power can compensate for the departure from nuclear energy and fossil fuels. Desert power can provide a lasting, secure source of energy at the same time as price stability. Economic integration also reduces the risk of conflicts. Energy exporting nations, in particular, are dependent on such income. Hence it is in their own interests to prove themselves as dependable suppliers. By 2050, the population south of the Mediterranean will have grown significantly, possibly even outnumbering the population in Europe. It is of immense importance, therefore, that the MENA countries first meet their own rapidly increasing demands for renewable energy which, in turn, will help stabilise many of these nations. It also makes sense for Europe to forge a new path towards sustainable energy partnerships.
Does Europe really need to import renewable energy from the desert? Would this not force domestic sources of renewable energy out of the market?
In the long term, Europe has only limited prospects in terms of sustainable energy supplies. The major sources are wind farms in coastal regions and the countryside, decentralised photovoltaic plants, hydropower, wood and agricultural residues (possibly imported), geothermics and perhaps gas. In Germany, the percentage of power produced from renewable sources is to rise to 80% by 2050. In October 2009, the European Council approved the long-term target of an 80-95% reduction in joint CO2 emissions by the year 2050. The Dii objective is to pave the way for power from the desert to make a significant contribution towards the total energy mix in Europe.
Dii has a clear concept of energy supply: firstly, a reduction in energy consumption (energy efficiency); secondly, decentralised production wherever practicable; lastly, centralised production of large quantities of renewable energies wherever the resources (sun, wind, water, etc.) are ideal.
Are the supply lines to Europe open to terror attacks?
The supply lines are susceptible to targeted terror attacks in the same way as gas pipelines, tracks or roads. In the long term, Dii predicts that the power grids in the MENA region and Europe will continue to expand: the larger the network, the lower the risk to the entire system from failure of a single line.
Why is the accusation of "neocolonialism" unjust?
Such an accusation has no foundation. On the contrary: Dii acts as a facilitator for cooperation with local governments, enabling investment in renewable energies in large-scale wind and solar power plants throughout the MENA territory. The nations themselves specify the conditions of such collaboration. Dii generally anticipates that, in time, the majority of the value creation chain will become established in the producing countries– a "win-win" situation for industries in the region and Europe. It is a matter of working together on the same level.
When the predecessor organisation to Desertec, TREC (Trans-Mediterranean-Energy-Cooperation), was founded in 2003, it had 20 members from the MENA territories and 15 from Germany and Europe. The Dii network, though mostly made up of German companies to begin with, has now become very international. It is very important to Dii that the number of shareholders and associated partners be strengthened by members of the MENA nations. At present, we have shareholders and partners in 15 countries.
How does Dii view the present political changes in North Africa – as an opportunity, or as more of a risk?
The intentions of Dii, namely to achieve mutual cooperation between Europe and Africa in the production and supply of energy, will likely enhance the opportunities and perspectives of the population and minimise the risks which arise from disparities in standards of living. Europe is already sending out the right signals: The energy cooperation with North Africa proposed by the EU is an important step and a great opportunity for the region. It helps to achieve a reliable perspective on integration into the energy market of the EU.
How are the changes in government in Tunisia and Egypt, and the civil war in Libya, affecting the Desertec project?
It is precisely in those countries in which democratic processes are now emerging that there is an increased interest on the part of the local population and governments in the development of large-scale wind and solar power plants. With such expansive efforts towards renewable energies, opportunities are arising for the younger generations in North Africa and the Middle East. In addition to the anticipated creation of jobs and knowledge transfer, the use of sustainable resources for producing energy will also help secure the supply and create independence from fossil fuels. In Tunisia, Dii has launched a feasibility study together with the government in order to investigate the political, regulatory, economic and technological framework for wind and solar projects. In Egypt, Dii is working intensively on the development of joint projects.
