1.

How do Solar Thermal Power Plants
or Concentrated Solar Thermal Power (CSP)-Plants function?

Solar Thermal Power Plants such as, for example Parabolic Trough Power Plants, have been in use commercially at Kramer Junction in California since 1985. Further solar power plants are actually planned or in construction e.g. in Nevada and Spain, with German, Spanish and US companies playing a major role. Solar Thermal Power Plants can generate electricity in the deserts of MENA (the Middle East an North Africa) at all times of the day and night, throughout the year:

Solar Thermal Power Plants (also called Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (CSP) Plants) use mirrors to concentrate sunlight 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 excess heat 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 oil, natural gas or biomass fuels.

2.

Would it be beneficial for Europe (the EU) to support the development of renewable energies in the MENA region?

If Europe were to pay for this start-up, with an amount of around € 10 billion, such financial support may be regarded as seed money for generating a secure and inexhaustible source of energy for European needs in the future. From the perspectives of atmospheric pollution and mitigation of climate change, it makes no difference whether reductions in CO2 emissions are achieved in Europe or in MENA. The key point is that reductions in CO2 emissions should be as large as possible and achieved in the shortest possible time.
Solar energy from the desert areas and wind powers in western North Africa are plentiful. This presents an opportunity to provide electricity and desalinated water in the countries of MENA and, at the same time, to provide some of the pollution-free electricity that Europe needs. This will help to reduce tensions over shortages of water and energy and it will provide other substantial benefits:

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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).

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The development of an economy based on knowledge and technology in MENA countries. This should reinforce their ability to promote development and eliminate poverty from their own strengths.

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Increasingly competitive prices for electrical power via economies of scale and progressive refinement of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (CSP), wind power and transmission technologies.

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There is also the possibility of generating hydrogen through inexpensive and inexhaustible supplies of energy as a possible substitute for fossil fuels for transport. Furthermore there would be a lower need of biomass to generate electricity, so it could be used to a greater extent for transport.

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Setting a good example for other industrial countries.

Transmission losses via High Voltage Direct Current transmission (HVDC) transmission are only about 3% per 1000 km. Since Solar Thermal Power Plants in MENA will produce about three times as much solar energy as similar power plants in Central Europe, transmission losses across EU-MENA of 10-15% are more than offset by the much larger amounts of power that are available. HVDC transmission lines till 1,5 GW have been utilized for many years by ABB and Siemens. For transferring more power, more than one line can be used. At the World Energy Dialogue 2006 in Hanover, Germany, both companies have confirmed that the implementation of a Trans-Mediterranean energy cooperative is, technically, not a problem at all. 

4.

Can the import of electricity generated from Solar Thermal Power Plants be competitive with local nuclear power plants where environmental aspects are concerned?

The adequacy of nuclear energy as a means of reducing CO2 emissions (and correspondingly, the greenhouse effect) has been subject of some controversy since the use of atomic energy releases carbon dioxide. Whereas operators of nuclear power plants are continuously letting it be known that millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions will be saved by the use of atomic energy, they are also concealing the fact that CO2 is discharged through the extraction and conversion of uranium. A study by Greenpeace[1] shows that 31 g/ kWh of CO2 are accumulated annually through the use of nuclear energy. If the production of this greenhouse gas is to be reduced by just 10% (as recommended in a report by ZDF – German television)[2] 1000 new nuclear power houses would need to be constructed, which is more than double the 442 atomic power plants that exist in 2006. Using renewable forms of energy is very much more effective in reducing CO2 emissions, contrary to the claims of the nuclear power industry.
Solar Thermal Power Plants with heat storage only release CO2 while they are being constructed, and when using natural gas as an emergency back-up. Furthermore, no high-level radioactive waste (which has to be stored securely for more than 25,000 years) will be generated, and the high risk of industrial accidents or, even terrorist attacks are also non-existent.
The mirror panels, distributed over two continents, do not have any negative impacts on climate, and HVDC grids do not emit any electromagnetic radiation which is of importance, as it is not possible, according to the laws of physics, and therefore cannot possibly harm marine life. An analysis by the German Aerospace Centre about the ecobalance of the conduction of the TREC project can be downloaded here.

5.

Could nuclear fusion power plants or "Clean Coal" (meaning zero-emission coal-fired power plants) be any kind of alternative to solar power plants and the TREC scenario?

Solar Thermal Power Plants are a simple, mature and practical technology that can be brought into play immediately. By contrast, fusion reactors like ITER are still in the process of development and are unlikely to produce any electricity on a commercial scale for at least 40 years. Until then, research and construction will consume many billions of Euros, more than needed for commercialization of the alreay operating CSP technogy. In addition, these reactors will continue producing radioactive material. Zero-emission coal-fired power plants will also require 30 to 40 years to proof their reliability, in particular that of save CO2 deposition.  
Development of fusion and Clean Coal technology is behind solar thermal and wind power technology by at least 40 years. However, for the sake of energy and climate security we must act now.

6.

In order to establish, by 2050, a transmission grid and a capacity of 100 GW of exportable solar power, over and above the domestic needs of sunbelt countries, the required governmental financial support would be less than 10 billion Euros. Given that level of support for feed-in regulations, the construction of the solar power plants and the necessary transmission grid would very soon be attractive to investors, both private and public. The whole investments would be about 400 billion Euros over 30 years. An investment forecast for the scenario researched by the German Aerospace Centre can be found here.

Fuels such as uranium, natural gas and oil are considered to be politically risky since global reserves are shrinking inexorably and known reserves are found in only a few countries. This is leading to higher prices, to political dependencies and to limits on supplies. By contrast, solar power is plentiful, inexhaustible and available in many countries. And as volumes increase, costs will fall and the technologies will improve. Increasing solar power supplies to Europe will lead to more business opportunities for the MENA countries. This in turn may help to increase political stability and improve relations between Europe and MENA.

Too large a dependence on one country and on only a few power plants can be avoided by diversifying the range of sources of renewable energy, and using large numbers of solar thermal power plants (typical capacity: 200MW) and wind farms in many countries. Likewise, the use of many HVDC transmission lines to Europe and a wide range of different owners of facilities (both public and private) will help to increase security of supply.

By 2050, between 10-25% of Europe’s electricity may be clean power that is imported from sunny deserts. In the TRANS-CSP scenario, domestic renewables comprise about 65% of European supplies, while solar imports from MENA provide a further 17%. International trade in renewable energy will tend to increase the number of inexpensive sources of electricity anyway and should help to strengthen international cooperation.

New jobs in the MENA region would be created during the construction of power plants, in the maintenance of those plants, and in the generation of electricity and water for local people. There is also the possibility of generating hydrogen (as a possible substitute for fossil fuels for transport) using inexpensive and inexhaustible supplies of solar energy. Furthermore there would be a reduced demand for biomass to generate electricity, so it could be used to a greater extent for transport.

In several MENA countries, political stability is endangered by political stagnation. But this is not universal and other countries, like Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco are developing in a more positive way. TREC aims to support them to overcome stagnation by building a knowledge-based economy and by providing opportunities for productive jobs. The plans proposed by TREC would contribute to political stability through the development of economies and of societies in MENA.
With regard to investments, it is pertinent to point out that large investments are currently being made in Middle Eastern and Northern African countries by the oil industry, not unduly disturbed by any worries about security. Furthermore the MENA countries could participate in investments in solar and wind power plants and so develop an interest in their operation.  

So far, the public only toys with the idea of photovoltaics and hydrogen transportation – but the effectiveness of photovoltaics decreases at higher temperatures, and the use of hydrogen as an energy vector is rather inefficient. People know that electricity can be transmitted by high-voltage AC transmission lines but they are not familiar with the idea that, for transmission of electricity over long distances, HVDC transmission lines are much more efficient; relatively few people know that heat from the sun can be used for the generation of electricity and not simply as a source of hot water. Many journalists and others are not able to distinguish between photovolatics and Solar Thermal Power Plants. TREC, Greenpeace and other supporters of Solar Thermal Power generation thus have a lot of awareness raising still to do, which is only possible with the backing of competent journalists, open-minded politicians, interested scientists and any other dedicated supporters. (See: Support)
Two reports from the German Aerospace Centre, one in 2005 and the other in 2006, confirm the soundness of the TREC concept. Since then, TREC, the Club of Rome and Greenpeace have been putting even more effort into raising awareness of these ideas. The first major public presentation of the concepts was at the World Energy Dialogue 2006 in Hanover, Germany. A list with important events in the past can be found here.