Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation
The
Trans-Mediterranean
Renewable
Energy
Cooperation (
TREC)
[Homepage of TREC (The whole contents of this website are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 License.)] is an initiative of the
Club of Rome and the Hamburg Climate Protection Foundation in the field of renewable forms of energy. It was founded in September 2003 and developed a realizable concept for energy, water and climate security in
EUrope, the
Middle East and
North Africa (short:
EU-MENA) and as a community of interest, it made it to its business to implement this conpept in cooperation with politics, business sector and the public.
An international network of scientists, politicians and experts in the field of renewable forms of energy and their development, is the core of TREC. The nearly 50 members of TREC (including His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan) are in regular contact with national governments and with private inves-tors, aiming to communicate the benefits that may be obtained from the cooperative use of solar and wind energy and promoting specific projects in this field.
On the one hand it's certain that up to the middle of the 21st century, humanity will have used up a majority of the fossil fuel resources available on Earth to meet the demands of power plants and vehicles (see also
Peak Oil). A noticeable reduction in worldwide demands for fossil fuels is not in sight, although such a reduction is essential to contain the threat of
Global Warming. And on the other hand it's also certain, that even if there was a small reduction in demand, this would merely postpone the day when fossil fuels run out.
Consequently only a shift to renewable forms of energy can be a long-term solution to looming problems of energy shortages and damage to the environment. Even though there is great potential in the European continent for wind, hydro, geothermal and solar power, the utilization of these sources of energy are comparatively costly and have a range of limitations in Europe, denseley populated as it is. Also, in Europe power demands are high in winter while solar radiation is low.
|
HVDC-interconnections analysed in the DLR-study TRANS-CSP for trans-mediterranean power transmission.
(see external links too) |
TREC was founded with the goal of providing clean energy for Europe and for sunbelt countries faster and cheaper through a cooperation between the countries of
EUrope, the
Middle
East and
North
Africa (short:
EU-MENA). By feeding in power from deserts as supporting masure to the use of European sources of renewable energy, Europe could much faster achieve its climate protection goals, ensure energy supply security and support socio-economic development in North Africa, simultaneously. TREC has cooperated in the conduct of two studies which have evaluated the potential of renewables in MENA, the expected needs for water and power in EU-MENA till 2050 and the implementation of an intercontinental electricity network between the MENA-Region and Europe. Those studies have been commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conversation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and conducted by the
German Aerospace Center (DLR). They have been undertaken in the years 2004 till 2006 and are called MED-CSP and TRANS-CSP (
see external links too).
|
For illustration: Areas of the size as indicated by the red squares would be sufficient for collectors of Solar Thermal Power Plants to generate the electric power for the World, Europe (EU-25) and Germany respectively.
(Data provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), 2005) |
Satellite-based studies of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) have shown that, using less than 0.3% of the entire desert areas of the MENA region, Solar Thermal Power Plants can generate enough electricity and water to supply current demands in EU-MENA, and anticipated increases in those demands in the future. Clean solar electricity can be transmitted via High Voltage Direct Current (
HVDC) transmission lines throughout those areas and also to Europe (with transmission losses that would be no more than 10-15%). The Club of Rome and the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) (a network of scientists, politicians and experts in the fields of renewable energies) are planning to utilize solar power cooperatively. The trade winds of southern Morocco may be harnessed to generate additional supplies of electricity. Countries like
Egypt,
Algeria,
Jordan and
Morocco have already shown a strong interest in this kind of cooperation.
Transmission losses via High Voltage Direct Current transmission (
HVDC) are only about 3% per 1000 km. Since Solar Thermal Power Plants in Northern Africa will produce about three times as much solar energy as similar power plants in Central Europe, transmission losses of 10-15% are more than offset by the larger amounts of power that are available. Although hydrogen has in the past been proposed as an energy vector, this form of transmission is very much less efficient than HVDC transmission lines. Since photovoltaics degree of efficiency lessens as its temperature rises, and as its energy storage is still unsatisfactory, it will not play a role in the concept:
Solar Thermal Power Plants (also called
Concentrating
Solar Thermal
Power (
CSP) Plants) use mirrors to concentrate solar energy to raise steam and generate electricity. An interesting by-product that can be a great benefit to the local population is that waste heat from the power-generation process can be used to desalinate seawater. If more solar energy is collected than is actually needed to fulfil each day's needs, the surplus energy can be stored in tanks of molten salt and then be used to power the steam turbines during the night. In order to ensure uninterrupted service during overcast periods or contrary weather, the turbines can also be powered by natural gas.
|
Capacity, Costs & Space:
Main indicators of the total EU-MENA High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnection and Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (CSP) plants from 2020 â€" 2050 according to the TRANS-CSP scenario. |
The technologies that are needed to realise this concept are already fully developed and have been in use for decades. HVDC conduction has been utilized in a broad range over the years by ABB and Siemens. At the World Energy Dialogue 2006 in Hanover, Germany, both companies have approved that the implementation of a Trans-Mediterranean energy cooperative is, technically, not a problem at all.
Solar Thermal Power Plants, like
Parabolic Trough Power Plants, have been in use commercially at Kramer Junction in California since 1985. Further powerhouses are actually planned or in construction in Spain, with German, Spanish and US companies playing a major role. Solar Thermal Power Plants can generate electricity in the deserts of MENA at all times of the day and night, throughout the year. The German Aerospace Centre has calculated that, if Solar Thermal Power Plants were to be constructed in large numbers in the coming years, the estimated cost (including transmission cost) will be about 5-6.4 EuroCent/kWh.
In order to establish In order to establish in addition to the own needs of those countries an exportable capacity of 100 GW (~ 100 nuclear power plants) of Solar Thermal Power Plants and conduction until 2050, about 400 billion Euros would be needed, which averaged over 30 years is 13 billion Euros annually. This annual amount is just 8 % of what collectively the 25 European countries have drawn up in their defence budget in 2003. In reality, only an amount of less than ten billion Euros would be needed in governmental financial aid (like power input remuneration), so the construction of the plants and the conduction of power would be competitive over the first years, and would attract further investors, either private-run or state-run.
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Sketch of possible infrastructure for a sustainable supply of power to EUrope, the Middle East and North Africa (EU-MENA). |
Importing electricity, as well as the import of uranium, natural gas and oil, has always been risky, where political considerations are concerned. Whereas solar power is plentiful and its development is getting more and more advantageous, the reserves of fossil fuels are withering inexorably. This is therefore leading to higher prices and to more potential conflicts. However, one must measure the potential benefits of increased stability between Europe and the MENA region with possible conflicts that might arise when dependence rises. Therefore, TREC suggests that only 10-40 % of Europe's energy demands should be satisfied by a MENA cooperative. It is the idea that not
one big Solar Thermal Power Plant should be constructed, but instead several windmills and solar plants of a smaller scale, all interconnected via HVDC and linked to Europe. Hence, the power supply would be distributed throughout several countries and in turn, to many state-run and private investors. Employment creation in the MENA region should also stabilise its socio-economic condition. Employment would be originated in construction work, maintenance of power plants, and in the generation of electricity and water for the region's population demand. The opportunity to generate hydrogen through inexpensive and inexhaustible energy will reduce the current dependence of the European transport system on OPEC.
As currently seen in Spain, nominal governmental aid will help to develop energy projects like TREC. Realizing the concept of TREC will only require guaranteed acceptance of the electricity and water, favourable loans and loan guarantees. A few billion Euros could kick start the investment needed for the production and transmission of solar power. Then Europe and its partner states would be able to benefit from cheap, pollution-free and inexhaustible solar power. It would also mean that nuclear power with all its many headaches could be phased out and likewise for traditional fossil power stations.
Avoidance of negative consequences
* Reduction of conflicts for water and fuel resources in the future.
* Avoidance of human and financial losses from environmental disasters caused by the burning of fossil fuels and by the use of nuclear technology for the purpose of generating energy.
* Avoidance of necessity for further nuclear power plants (as a temporary but controversial alternative to solar energy) in EU-MENA (EUrope, the Middle East and North Africa) (see also anti-nuclear).
Further for business sector, public and environment
* The upgrade of desert space to potential sources of inexhaustible power-houses and water-works.
* Long-term supplies of clean energy and drinking water for EU-MENA.
* Transition to an economy based on knowledge and technological competence in MENA countries. This could give them the capacity to eliminate underdevelopment and poverty by their own strengths.
* Large orders for companies involved in the construction of Thermal Solar Power Plants, wind turbines and HVDC transmission lines, as well as hundreds of thousands of jobs mainly in industry; in Europe as well as in the Middle East and in North Africa.
* Increasingly competitive prices for electrical power via economies of scale and progressive refinement of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (CSP), wind power and transmission technologies.
* With the clean energy it may become possible to produce low-priced hydrogen. Hydrogen may be used to rise the effectiveness of the Choren-Process for the production of BtL-Fuel ("SunDiesel") or to facilitate a conversion to
hydrogen-fuel-cell-technology for automobiles.
* Setting a good example for other industrial countries.
To implement this concept, TREC is pursuing the following measures:
* Collect and analyse data on renewable energy potentials in the EU-MENA region
* Study the present and the coming needs for water and power in the EU-MENA region
* Research & Development capacity building in MENA countries. With MENA*SUN, a MENA-wide R&D association, TREC is founding a MENA based R&D facility to develop the so called "desert technologies" for a long-term program "power, food and water from the deserts"
* Generate political endorsement of demonstration and pilot projects in MENA countries:
•
a Gaza Project: Solar water and power production for Gaza in the near by Egyptian desert; as an international recovery effort
•
a Sana'a Solar Water Project: solar desalination at the Red Sea and transmission to the capital city, that is endangered by a water crisis
* Advance energy, water and climate security to official tasks of international security policy (EU,
NATO)
* Make cooperation with MENA on renewable energies part of European strategies for energy and international security (EU,
Barcelona Process,...)
* Establish binding targets for renewable energy shares in the involved countries and set up appropriate political frame conditions (like e.g. a free trade area for clean energy)
* Expand European programs for support of clean energy production to MENA countries (guarantees, grants, soft loans, feed-in regulations,...)
Importing electricity is risky, where political considerations are concerned. Furthermore the political barriers are high, because for a realisation of the concept a cooperation between the states of Europe (France prefers nuclear power generation) and the states of the MENA-region would be necessary. A realisation of the concept would be quiet easier inside one state (e.g. Australia) or a confederation (USA).
*
The Homepage of TREC*
The German Association Club of Rome*
The Hamburg Climate Protection Foundation (HKF)*
Hannover Messe "Energy 2006": Forum 6 "Solar Energy - New Horizons with Solar Thermal Power" â€" April 24th to 28th 2006 (
Program (PDF, 500 KB)) (
Application Form (PDF, 40 KB))
*
MENAREC 3: The Third Middle East - North Africa Renewable Energy â€" June 12th to 14th 2006 in Cairo (Egypt)
*
Global Conference on Renewable Energy Approaches for Desert Regions â€" September 18th to 22th 2006 in Amman (Jordan)
*
Study on MED-CSP â€" Study of the DLR for BMU from 2005
*
Study TRANS-CSP on an Intercontinental Transfer of Solar Energy â€" A DLR Study for the BMU from 2006
*
Download of a report of Greenpeace: Concentrated Solar Thermal Power - Now! (PDF, 1,3 MB)
*
Download of a Memorandum about the potential of solar power plants (PDF, 1,4 MB)
*
Download of a Study on the Potential of Solar Thermal Energy Generation in Egypt (PDF, 3 MB)
â€" Study of the
SolarPACES Organization from the International Energy Association (IEA) on the project START of the CSP Global Market Initiative
*
Advisory letter on Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) (PDF, 30 kb) â€" Advice on "Energetic Foreign Policy" which was published at January 2006 by the ALGEMENE ENERGIERAAD (General Energy Council in the Netherlands) and the Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV)
:Category:Solar energy
