Made in Germany | Desertec - Electricity from the Desert for Europe

[marsglorious]

I just realized how ridiculous the renewables skeptics are here in Australia. We could introduce that scheme here, we have deserts freely at hand, close to every major city covering the whole interior of the country. Every city is along the coast and mostly near windy Antarctic coasts. They just did a survey and found that Australia could do 10% geothermal, despite us having no volcanoes. Yet we still derive 95% from brown coal, which realizes more radiation than German Nuclear on top of CO2.

[marsglorious]

@marsglorious The Green political movement may have started in Australia, but it was Germans that really made it happen.

The Greens are getting exponentially stronger every election. There is hope.

Wish I could say the same for the USA.

[darris321]

what is the cost per kwh?

If that question isn't answered well, there will be very few investors.

[WTF31000]

So what would be the difference between the dependence on Saudis, Russians and Iran vs on the Algerians, Moroccans and Egyptians? The only added value is that it will be renewable energy. The dependence problem will always be the same.

[povertyincanada]

@WTF31000 well at least it will develop north africa and stop the mass immigration towards Europe do not you think ?

[WTF31000]

@povertyincanada Well... this project has nothing to do with solving the immigration problem. Desert Tech's goal is geared to increase the usage of renewable and reduce energy and carbon foot print. Stopping immigration is not one of their goal. People in the Maghreb want to leave their countries because of many problems. Employment is only one, there is also Lifestyle (i.e. health care, safety, education, shelter, religious...ect). it might reduce the numbers but it will not stop it.

[sandustanBrasov]

SandustanBrasov

The test for nuclear fusion realisation on Tokamak's installations and with LASER cannot bring anything new for the energetics' future. I bind the thermonuclear controlled reactor schedule by the Sun model , by the reactive electromagnetic motor schedule from Palenque stone's tombe. You see the my project for thermonuclear controlled reactor.

[amine0974]

This is not a good idea at all !!!!

From where you will get the water to clean the solar panels !!!!

[zeedayazid]

let's not talk abt dependancy and look at the bigger picture i.e. to combat climate change and save the environment / world.

[robz40]

Andasol is a total disaster . What they don' t tell you is that they also have to use gas as a back up to keep the molten salts fluid, it has a Capacity Factor of 35% and when you consider the c.f the cost per KWe is 18000€/KWe compared to a 3500€/KWe nuclear with a (programmable) c.f of 75%. Andasol has incentives of 0.20€/KWh for 20 years! They are kidding you.

[Flex2212]

@robz40 Take into account the economies of scale of Desertec! It's a THOUSEND times a bigger project than the Andersol !! And the technology is still improving. Your comparison makes no sense.

[stephenterill]

cewl - i hope they ll start off soon!

[ArtistasDelMundo]

watch out in 2:21 Min,

there you see the quader of spread of land which can supply

the world with electicity!!!!!!

[ericssson]

the idea is outstanding but the location is problematic

you know that....

[ericssson]

this is not a good fuckin idea

[tettomania]

@ericssson Please tell me why this idea is not a good idea?!?

[esathegreat]

The Club of Rome is behind this.

Their goal is to weaken Europe by making their energy supply dependant on unstabe african terror states.

[matsyendranath]

@esathegreat rubbish, this is a fantastic idea, with the human race's dependence on fossil fuels bringing us to the brink of our own extinction, its ridiculous to start saying stuff like that about such an incredibly positive, potentially transformative project.

[ericssson]

come on!!! people the terrorist  will blow this shit up

[docflyte]

Why they didn`t blow up oil plants??? in MENA ??

WAke up

[indiasrainbow]

15 percent of Europe's electrical energy? in 30-40 years?

Even after the reports of accelerated warming with mass methane release from the Artict on the verge!

yes great idea . lets take a nice long time and use as much oil as we can before the transition.. I wonder if these companies are linked to the oil industry in any way?

[flamifer]

How about turning the current into hydrogen and send it via pipeline or tanker to europe?

Oil is a finite resource and far too precious to be burnt. Sun energy is clean and forever!!!

Opponents must be really desperate. They come up with all kinds of fabricated obstacles like:

"Cleaning the mirrors would waste too much of precious water in the desert"

As if an argument like that EVER have stopped oil companies. In Mexico they poisoned whole rivers with their waste water.

[robheus123]

part of the wasted heat produced can be used to make clean drinking water from salt water as well; the ground underneath the solarpower stations can be used for agricultural use, or even to breed algae (for biofuels or food) and/or fish.

Around the solarstations, one would need to create a green zone, using plants that hardly need water, and thereby protect the solarplants from the Sahara dust.

[flamifer]

To: Robheus123

This sounds really good. That way the whole desert could become a green garden! Whereever there is water in the desert plants grow like crazy. I have seen it with my own eyes.

Of course, it would only work if they somehow manage to stabilize population numbers somehow or you end up with just another overcrowded part of the planet.

[indiasrainbow]

I think hydrogen is very hard to keep contained or to pipe. hvdc is the most efficient way at present.

hey ,you should check out nuclear fusion (clean energy)

"can we make a star on earth" bbc horizon documentary!

also . i wonder what happens at night when the sun goes down ? do they have special energy reservoirs? energy on this scale is very hard to contain, is it not?

[flamifer]

The problem with nuclear fusion is simply, that it will most probably not be available before the year 2040.

Whatever else Exxon is going to tell us, I don't think, we should bet on affordable oil prices so far into the future.

I found some articles regarding hydrogen in pipes. It is costly, but feasable. The advantage would be to have the hydrogen ready for use day and night.

Using hvdc is cheaper and I suppose, that "conservative" power plants would take over for the loss by night.

[indiasrainbow]

we need a massive effort to speed this all up. like a war effort but all together peacefully on one team. I would go to the desert to help build panels even on a minimum wage. it would be awesome knowing your doing such good. also we need to plant a trillion trees too, the UNEP has just reached a target 7 billion planted , amazing !! : P

[flamifer]

That's the right attitude. Only if we alltogether make a massive "warlike" effort, we will be able to turn the tables.

We need an increase in the number of trees at least as high as the increase we already have in world's population in percent.

I think, it is also important, that every man and woman on earth knows, that our numbers have reached the limit our planet can take. By supporting the poorest of the poorest in return for not having more than 2 children, we could stop this madness.

[PaulHartXYZ]

Wouldn't it be nice someday to tell the Saudis, Iranians and Russians to GO TO HELL with their oil

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE NOW.

[jihadito]

ok live in germany but i m moroccan, i think it s good idea but you will dependent from us .:D

[PaulHartXYZ]

I don't mind being dependent on Morocco or Tunisia. These are very good, friendly nations.

[jihadito]

i think we are also dependent from other oil countries, it realy rude when one day they don't want to give us what we need, i mean oil. it s good idea. i study mechanichal engeneering , i hope i can work with other engeneers in this projekt .

[malbert34]

That's why Car Manufacturers for example, are developing new technologies and fuels to power cars, such as hybrid vehicles.

[jihadito]

yes i m also very interssted, ouer professor at the university schowed us, a H2-O motors. it was really interessting, since that day i have the will to devlope such technologie (sorry for my Englisch ) ;) .

[andyzaher]

@jihadito ur funny

[Plexpara]

and the greatest is ,this energy is pure nature.

[shammy209]

better yet it would be to stop sending FREE unconditional 5 BILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS ever year! And 5 Billion more in military aid.

If we had that money we would not be in so much recession.

Even if America is at 50% unemployment would keep sending that nation our money???

[FOXHOUNDAio87]

@PaulHartXYZ And then after others 20 years we would like to tell Algeria, Marocco, Tunisia, Libia to go to hell with their solar panels... it would be the same IMO

[northernsupernova1]

Thank the German DLR for the technology

[EUROSUN1]

Go Europe! Energy Independence FTW!

[jihadito]

no go europe and morocco ;) :D