The Desertec Industrial Initiative (Dii) has curtailed plans to export solar power from Africa to Europe according to EU media outlet, Euractiv.
The Dii is an ambitious initiative that had the goal of establishing 100 gigawatts of solar power projects in the North African desert to take advantage of high levels of solar radiation there, but then export the power to Europe. Its aim was to supply up to 20% of Europe’s electricity demand by 2050.
However in an interview with Euractiv, the CEO of Dii, Paul van Son, conceded that Europe could supply more than 90% of its needs from local projects and the group needed to rethink their approach. “If we talk about renewable energy from North Africa, only a small fraction will ultimately supply the European market,” he said. He continued, “Frankly, four years ago Desertec was all about bringing energy from North Africa. We abandoned that one-dimensional thinking.”
