ArtFire Monday, October 6, 2008













Photo: The world’s large
st solar power plant in Germany, picture by Waltraud Grubitzsch/EPA/Corbis, the Guardian.


To battle growing energy concerns, researchers from the European Union are making preparations to make use of renewable energy sources more than 1,000 miles away.


Presently scientists are devising a plan for a High Voltage Direct Current line grid to bring in solar energy from the Saharan desert in northern Africa. Preparations are underway to create a series of solar farms across the desert, according to the Common Dreams News Center. Researchers speculate that just 0.3% of the sunlight hitting the Sahara everyday would be enough to sufficiently provide electricity to all of Europe.


The task is still in planning and very likely reach €450 billion in cost. It would assist Europe in fulfilling its goal of generating 20% of its total energy from green sources by 2020. The EU hopes that the gridline from the Sahara could produce 100 GW of solar power by 2050, which is more than all the current renewable energy sources could generate combined.


Click here to read more about Europe’s Green Energy plans.

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-Sara

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