by: Andrew Sieving
Once again it seems that Europe is ahead of the world in green energy. The Desertec Industrial Initiative, a German led group of energy providers is planning to provide solar energy to Europe from northern Africa by 2015. 15% of Europe’s energy consumption will supposedly come from this grid in 2050. What the article fails to report is what countries will receive this energy, where the energy will be refined, but it does comment on the highly energy efficient cables. Although, Europe always seems to be able to come up with new green ideas, it seems to promote these exclusive benefits within the EU. I wonder if these energy benefits will be available outside of the EU; or will they be highly taxed outside of the group. If European countries can span across a continent to find alternative solar power why can’t the United States harness solar energy in Death Valley or in the many desert regions within our own country. Obviously, corporate mindsets are no fluctuating with the market or our user preferences aren’t environmental. If consumers control the demands of the market then we should as consumer demand green energy.
http://www.enn.com/business/article/40650
38 comments:
Photovoltaic cells do not need to have energy refined, they even skip what you might call the "energy" phase of power production, they convert sunlight directly to electricty. When you say Europe comes up with good energy ideas but you wonder, if they will be available elsewhere or if they will be taxed, what do you mean? Anyone is allowed to use solar energy, but of course the owners of those solar fields are not going to take electricity off of their grid and give it away for free. And to your final point we as consumers can all demand BMWs but if we do not have the money to make that demand it is pointless. Same basic idea with much "green" energy, it is rarely competitively priced. And we can only subsidize so much given our current economic status.
As you said "Once again it seems that Europe is ahead of the world in green energy", while 15% by 2050 doesn't seem too impressive it's a start and is evidence that corporate mindsets are starting to think sustainable and more importantly in a policy mindset cost efficient. I wonder how much it would cost to build and maintain a 15% solar system in the USA? Has anyone heard any figures?
This is an interesting proposal. Will there be changes made after it is initiated to increase production? I agree that steps need to be made in the US concerning energy but maybe we should see if this really is a cost-effective way to increase energy- if not, then we shouldnt waste the money on it
Katie Witters
I agree the US should be making stronger efforts towards a greener society. We need to enact more policies that set future goals of green energy. One problem with solar is that the sun does not shine at night when there is a higher demand for energy. Just like how the wind doesn't always blow when we need it for wind power. I want to see more investment in wave or tidal power. Here you will constantly have green energy. check this design out http://www.biopowersystems.com/
I think that it's great European countries are starting a solar program in north Africa. I read about the new power cables which are amazing and actually make this a feasible project. That, along with improvements in photovoltaic cell technology will hopefully make solar panel implementation more common throughout the world. I hope the rest of the world takes a page out of Europe's book, especially the US.
I like the fact that they are thinking about it but it seems like in the next 40 years they can only set the goal at 15% a little low but still good to see.
I agree with most of the comments. This is a good step, but it's a small one. As for why the US isn't doing the same, it is probably a number of reasons. Increased cost, terrorist risk, etc. But the US has been making lots of solar fields in the Southwest from what I've heard. I suspect Europe is making such a small commitment with this step because there is some risk involved that prevents them from wanting to be too dependent too fast. In the field of energy development, I read how the US will soon be implementing a nation-wide smart grid that automatically tells consumers the best time to use certain appliances, and prevents energy wasting. This will significantly decrease energy use in the US. Take that, Europe!
Europe has always been on the cutting edge of green energy methods,infact, they have even found a way to make energy from landfill waste of MSW. This however does not mean that the U.S. cannot harness green energy. The problem lies more within the costs and demands for green energy. Europeans as a whole seem to have much more "green" attitudes than Americans. Whether it be through the smaller more fuel efficient cars they drive or through the much larger number of people using public transportation, Europeans have always been more interested in saving energy than Americans. Because Europeans are more interested in green energy than Americans, they are more willing to pay for the research and use of clean energy technologies making it much easier for their contries to advance in green energy technology.
How do Photovoltaic cells provide energy to Europe when they are placed in Northern Africa? How is the energy transferred? What about providing this energy to the people in North Africa? Will this process actually be cost-effective for the European Union? How was the research conducted, and who will pay for the transportation of this new electricity. If it can all be pulled off, it seems like a great idea, but I can see where there may be some potential problems.
I do agree that Europe, Scandinavia especially, are usually one step ahead of America in terms of green technology. What most people don't realize is the progress solar energy has been making the past couple of years. I am currently in a class dedicated to understanding everything about the solar energy potential in Colorado, and with all the market based incentives and command and control incentives, it is economically beneficial to invest in solar electricity in Colorado. More and more people are demanding renewable energy and the market is changing, but it is a slow process. I've done tons of research, and I think there is a bright future for solar energy in the U.S. It won't handle all of our demand, but it will make economic sense in a lot of areas in the near future.
I havent heard about this proposal sounds pretty interesting. You are right about european countries being ahead of the curve regarding green energy ideas, i know that in the solar segment this is particularly true in germany despite their low solar resource. As far as why the united states has a low amount of energy coming from solar resources, it is primarily a matter of economics. Solar panels and power plants are simply not cost competitive right now. Solar panels do eventually pay for themselves, but the payback period may be decades from initial installation. Hopefully forward thinking individuals will recognize the potential of solar and invest in this technology. More people switching over will make the technology more competitive and allow for more energy to be derived from the sun.
I havent heard about this proposal sounds pretty interesting. You are right about european countries being ahead of the curve regarding green energy ideas, i know that in the solar segment this is particularly true in germany despite their low solar resource. As far as why the united states has a low amount of energy coming from solar resources, it is primarily a matter of economics. Solar panels and power plants are simply not cost competitive right now. Solar panels do eventually pay for themselves, but the payback period may be decades from initial installation. Hopefully forward thinking individuals will recognize the potential of solar and invest in this technology. More people switching over will make the technology more competitive and allow for more energy to be derived from the sun.
What does this mean for Africa? Do they stand to benefit from the European's solar panels at all? And how can they possibly conceive of integrating a network of solar panels into the already existing power grid in the European Union? Regardless, it's pretty interesting that seawater can be used to cool the photovoltaic cells and in turn power a desalinization plant. It really makes me wonder why the United States doesn't take the initiative to invest more capital in green energy, or at the least make an attempt to educate homeowners about the various methods of creating self sufficient homes.
Marcus Eisen
For solar power to work, there is a need for water. In death valley there isn't any water to divert; all the water in that area is already appropriated. I'm not sure about the situation in Africa, but solar power in the Americas is a good idea, but we need to figure out a feasible solution.
I think it would be beneficial to actually implement this technology is third world countries in Africa. The technology is there, so why not set a grid system for African countries? This touches on the issue of if the EU will make this technology available to them.
It does seem that Europe is always one step ahead in terms of green energy and I think the U.S. should be doing a better job incorporating green energy into our society. However, I'm curious as to why Europe is placing this solar power grid in North Africa. Is it just because there is more sunlight there or is it because Europe does not want solar panels in its backyard? Also, what are the costs of transporting this energy to Europe? Despite the efficient cables, it seems like it's going to take a lot of energy to get this project up and running and to actually transfer the energy to Europe.
The Europeans are probably putting them in Africa because there is space and land is not expensive. In terms of Europe being much more "green" than us, that may be true to some extent. but in terms of public transportation, this is very related to country size and infrastructure. If the US were the size of New England, we would use public transit more and it would be safe to drive small cars because we would not being driving 80mph on an interstate to get to work. Also Photovoltaic does not need water.
you take a continent that was ravaged by war within the last 65 years, and Voile, people are accepting of 'adapting to change'.
Perhaps it is this post war landscape in Europe that lets people know that that adaptation is crucial to survival.
In the U.S., we haven't really been attacked (except 9/11).
For some reason, in the U.S. it is acceptable to not take any precautions as long as we're still trying to figure out who to blame. As long as the debate continues, we can perpetuate business as usual. Europeans just recognize that prevention will lead to sustainability.
In the U.S. we still have people trying to sell you "clean coal"... which is a total joke. Sure we need coal (now), but to say it is clean is just lying to the public.
I agree with several comments: What about energy from North Africa going to North Africa? It seems eerily like the old extractive colonial setup to have something from one spot exported solely to European countries. I know the article was not specific but if this German energy provider is planning to work in Africa long term I hope these solar panels will benefit the locals just as much as they will people in Europe.
I read an article not so long ago about how China is going to become the leader in solar power. I agree that if consumers start demanding alternative energy that the market will have to provide it. I think the US needs to look closely at our energy policy and follow the trend of what is the most sustainable and efficient.
North Africa producing energy for Europe kinda scares me. It makes sense that Europe would try to use the resources of an area with more constant sun light but can they not find their own place? For instance Sicily, Southern Spain, or many Greek Isles would likely provide similar amounts of sunlight. If Europe uses African land I would hope that Africa receive more of the rights to the energy.
ROBERT SEADER
Wow, that seems like a somewhat risky move, to empower parts of your country from a location outside of it? I wonder what infrastructure they were planning on implementing to protect these solar panels and cables. Though, I do like the point of this blog. I do think that the US should pursue green energy. The problem is, the market is not currently pointed at it, and corporations (in general) are going to head to where the money is. This means that it will have to be the consumer that changes the current M.O. Maybe the best tool to use wouldn't be the market, but would be Congress.
If the EU is the leader in clean energy it is because the government has structured the market towards it. The US could do the same but it seems like politics is closely tied with coal and oil. If they put a price floor on dirtier energy then it might send a signal to the energy companies to invest more in solar and other alternatives since they are guaranteed that it will be competitive. They won't have to face such a fluctuating market if pricing power is taken away from OPEC and others.
I'm skeptical that Europe is really so ahead of the curve on this one. First of all, I doubt they're just doing this out of the goodness of their hearts to help out Africa, it sounds to me like all the electricity is going to be going back to Europe. Colonialism may be over, but this is still exploiting another country's resources, fortunately in today's world whatever country they put these in must have consented. It is great to see some solar panels going in though. As for consumers demanding green power, I think consumers are going to demand power and not care where it comes from. Economics and the law of supply and demand pretty much necessitates that.
This is great news. I think the U.S. should definitely implement something like this in the near future. If they are worried about the high cost of solar panels, i think they should just focus on the environmental impacts and the lower cost of maintenance and the fact that there is no drilling required.
We do control the market as consumers and if we demand clean energy (and are willing to pay the costs for developing an infrastructure) the government will provide it. They will be eager to provide it because environmental and economical policies often go hand in hand, because better technology creates better efficiency, which saves everyone money.
You are absolutely correct. The Germans are reaching thousands of miles away to satisfy their energy needs, and yet, here in Colorado, all of us could easily tap into the sun light received by the San Luis Valley and there would still be plenty of energy left over for the rest of the country
Is there currently a feasible plan to build a grid from North Africa to several European countries? It might be difficult to build support for since it would take a long time to build and costs would be high. Also, do North African countries support these types of projects even if Europe is receiving most of the benefits?
With low demand in africa, these systems exist as an exception to the "what about when the sun isnt shining?" clause that plagues this energy source due to the high light environment of the area. I think this is a brilliant usage of resources and a model for the rest of us.
Whats in this for the nations of Africa. Seems to me that they could use a little more support, so maybe they could gain something in return for hosting the sites for Europes future power grids.
The E.U. will always be ahead of us because they are not politically and legislatively stunted by crippling american know-how. We've been doing it like this for years, and it will be many more before we catch up. The US might as well get used to watching the E.U. and other countries fly by as they go on to bigger and better conservation ideas. And to the comment about the consumer demanding green solutions and such, I totally agree. The problem is that when we typically think of the consumer is always right, we're wrong. The consumer is only right as long as their interests and needs are in harmony with that of corporate industrial america and their CEO's.
I think the main problem here in the US is that much of our energy comes from investor-owned utilities. The utilities that are owned primarily by investors have there best interest in satisfying the interests of their share holders. So if investing in green energy is going to cost alot and reduce the profitability of the company, they would just rather continue spending their money burning cheap abundant coal. As consumers we are somewhat caught in a monopoly when it comes to buying electricity. We need it! So tons of people go completely off the grid or add solar to reduce the utilities revenues then the demand will not be effected and utilities will not respond to the consumers preferences. This is where it is up to government and citizens to take the charge and demand green energy. Colorado amendment 37 was passed in 2004 by Colorado voters demanding that utilities establish renewable energy portfolios and give more rebates to customers for renewable energy projects. An example of the government representing the people, yay.
=)
I was under the impression that one of the limitations to implementing green and renewable technologies in the US, besides political and economic incentives, is the transmission of these energies onto local power grids. It seems to me that if the United States is experiencing obstacles to transmit renewable energy on our own soil, locally and on a large scale, that it would be pretty difficult for Europe to transmit renewable energies across continents. Perhaps Europe is that much more technologically advanced than the United States is. In either case, i find this proposal of theirs to be impressive.
I'm curious to know how much the EU is paying whatever country the solar panels are in to have them there.
being one of the biggest consumers of energy in the world, i feel that we should be doing our best to mimic Europe. Its going to take many years to get to where we need to be and any little bit helps. Ive heard using white shingles saves tremendous amounts of energy.
Solar energy is the key for humans long term survival on this planet. With so much free energy hitting us every second how can we not look to further exploit it?
ROBERT SEADER
Of course it would be perfect to live in a green world, but wake up and smell the propane. Green is impossible in our current economic state we can't afford what it takes to harness such energy nor can Americans afford to purchase a $50,000 hybrid. Realistically our budget cannot accommodate such a request so as individuals we need to do what we can to be more green. My advice is that you start with your own carbine footprint.
This was a good topic to address and look into I enjoyed reading about it.
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