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Pitch

The large scale construction of solar thermal power plants and HVDC power transmission lines will allow to run on renewable energy.


Description

Executive summary

The large scale construction of solar termal power plants in desert regions and the transmission over HVDC power lines into temperate climatic regions will reduce emissions from coal power plants at large. The large investments necessary will be covered by countries through taxes on fossil fuels and energy from fossil fuels.

Team: Please leave a note here if you're interested to join in and improve this proposal.

Ttechnical feasibility researched by www.desertec.org.

Lead author: Jonas Haller

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What

The power of Europe will not come from coal and nuclear in the future, but instead, plent of solar thermal power plants will be constructed in Southern Euope and the MENA (Middle East & North Africa) region. These provide power to be transmitted through HVDC lines to Europe, as well as for the local use additionally, the cooling cycle of the power plant will provide fresh water to the peopl in the dessert.

These facilities require large investments, that can be funded through private utility companies as well as through taxes on fossil fuels and electric energy  from fossil fuels.

Why

If we do not act now on the large scale construciton of a power grid, we will continue relying on coal and nuclear. Electrical energy demand will only grow in the future, accelerated by the introduction of electric cars.

A transition to hydrogen cars will reduce fossil fuel use and increase the demand for solar hydrogen, that can be produced in solar thermal plants.
 

Feasibility

The project can be realized through the construction of solar thermal power plants as well as HVDC power transmission lines from Northern Africa to Europe and Africa, from the Southern US to the Northern US, from South China and the desert to the rest of China, ...

 

  • Through the introduction of an effective tax on fossil fuels, each litre of oil and gasoline as well as each kWh of electricity will contribute to the fund for the construction.
  • New renewable energy conversion technology will be disseminated through MENA.
  • Politicians that see the urge of a transition to a renewable future will contribute to the large scale transisition.

Concerning the MENA region:

 

  • A stable economic environment in in the MENA region would be desirable, but not a necessary condition, since through a highly diverse portfolio in countries and energy carriers, the risk of instability can be mitigated to a large extent.

Vision of the future under this proposal

Renewably produced energy will be available for large parts of the world, thus reducing emissions at large.