Africa

This is a presentation from Dr. Albrecht Kaupp (MED-EMIP Team Leader) during the “MENA Energized: Regional Challenges to "Green the Power" Sector” event held in June in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. It was jointly organized by the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) and the Euro Mediterranean Energy Market Integration Project (MED-EMIP).

This paper presented at the 2009 SolarPaces Conference in Berlin sets out an analysis of the potential of concentrating solar power (CSP) on a global scale. The paper starts with assessing the level of direct normal solar irradiation needed for CSP plants which is combined with an analysis of the suitable land resources based on various site criteria.

A giant solar park is to be developed in the Sahara.

The use of solar energy in thermal desalination processes is one of the most promising applications of the renewable energies.

Solar desalination can either be direct; use solar energy to produce distillate directly in the solar collector, or indirect; combining conventional desalination techniques, such as multistage flash desalination (MSF), vapour compression (VC), reverse osmosis (RO), membrane distillation (MD) and electrodialysis, with solar collectors for heat generation.

As of 12 July 2011, the South African utility Eskom counted a total number of 84,214 approved applications since the beginning of the programme in 2007. Since the beginning of the programme the level of subsidies changed regularly. The latest table with the maximum rebate level was published on 12 April, 2011 and will be implemented most probably at the 1st of October. 

Most importantly: The energy of the sun is endless, sufficient and free of charge. Using solar water heating technology makes you independent of the rapidly increasing fossil fuel prices. It saves customers energy, money, is clean and safe and it is a long-living technology with life cycles of 25 years and more.

A document produced by the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC), in 2007, discusses the policy options and market situation of increasing the use of renewable energy in the so-called MENA region (Middle East and North Africa).

According to scientists, this region will be severely threatened by water scarcity problems in the coming years. Taking that into account, this document tries to show how renewable energies could be the solution to the imminent water crisis situation, notably the use of sea water desalination, combined with solar thermal power from deserts.

GEF (Global Environmental Facility) funded UNEP project: The SWERA Programme’s mission is to provide easy access to high quality renewable energy resource data and other products to users all around the world (Bangladesh - Brazil - China - Cuba - El Salvador - Ethiopia - Ghana - Guatemala - Honduras - Kenya - Nepal - Nicaragua - Sri Lanka). These products are available through the SWERA web site and include Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and time series data, along with energy optimization tools needed to apply these data and facilitate renewable energy policy and investment.

The Study of CDM Project Identification in FEMIP countries (Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership)aimed to:
• investigate the possibilities for carbon finance and crediting activities in the Mediterranean region, identify priority sectors and make relevant recommendations;
• build a pipeline of concrete CDM projects or project concepts that the European Investment Bank (EIB) could help finance in the years to come;
• promote closer communication between the EIB and local CDM actors.