CUT CO2 BY up to
1000 MILLION TONS PER ANNUM
while producing 700 to 900 Terawatt/h of electricity...
This is one of the most ambitious projects in human history: we are at the crossroads of the fossil fuel and solar power age. This project will produce the power of more than 120 nuclear power stations by using solar heat concentrators: CSP technology readily available, and the fastest growing biomass on this planet: algae. By combining these two exciting possibilities and taking advantage of the unique proposed situation of this project (offshore), some unique technology combinations are opened up.
Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy(MARE) - Concept
Executive Summaryclick
ByTurbosolar World
The Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Concept (MARE) is an initiative,
in the field of renewable forms of energy, of TurboSolar World of Switzerland.
The core of MARE is an international network of scientists and experts in the field of renewable forms of energy and their development. The members of MARE shall be in regular contact with national governments and with private investors, aiming to communicate the benefits that may be obtained from the cooperative use of solar and other renewable energies and promoting specific projects in this field.
Since it was quietly founded by TurboSolar World in September 2006, MARE has developed the MARE-Concept for energy, water and climate security in EUrope and West Africa (EU-WA), building on the possible and necessary cooperation of the two continents. The MARE-Concept is an Off Shore energy platform project, targeted to boost the generation of clean electricity by Solar Thermal Power Plants, biomass (from algae) and Carnot type energy generators, and to transmit this clean electrical power via High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission lines and other energy supports and storage means throughout Europe and West Africa (with just about 3 % transmission losses per 1000 km in the HVDC case) . Now MARE is making this concept a reality in going out in public view, looking for cooperation with people in politics, industry and the world of finance. The MARE project is huge and requires major participation.
MARE was founded with the aim of providing a clean energy foundation for Europe and West African countries quickly and economically through cooperation between these two continents. (Europe and West Africa: EU-WA). Power from an integrated smart platform, as a supplement to European sources of renewable energy, can speed up the process of cutting European emissions of CO2 and will help increase the security of European energy supplies on a large scale. At the same time this can provide jobs, earnings, energy, clean water and other benefits for the people of West Africa.
MARE shall be involved in the conduct of studies which will evaluate the potential of renewable energy in West Africa, the expected needs for water and power in the region between now and 2025 and the potential for a Sub-Atlantic electricity transmission grid spanning the Atlantic to EU and West Africa.
The
MARE - Concept
Areas the size indicated by the red squares would be sufficient
for Solar Thermal Power Plants
to generate as much electricity as currently consumed by the World, Europe
(EU-25) and by Germany
respectively. (Data provided by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR),
2005)
Several independent studies have shown that, using superficies of
about 50 km by 50 km, Solar Power Plants can generate enough electricity to
supply current demands in EU-WA, and anticipated increases in those
demands in the future. In addition, it
has potential to alleviate shortages of fresh water in the West African
regions. Clean electricity can be
transmitted via High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission lines
throughout EU-WA with overall transmission losses that would be no more
than 9-12% (Approx 3% loss per 1,000km.)
Public exposure of the MARE concept should get large-scale support
by putting solar technology into service for energy, water and climate
security. Countries immediately
interested are likely to be the entire EU and all Western African Nations,
including Sub-Sahara countries. All
theses nations should show a strong interest in this kind of cooperation. Some implementation of this technology is
already deployed in the US
(notably Kramer Junction, California), and Southern Spain, although both on a much smaller scale.
By the middle of the 21st century, the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East could provide most of the power needed in the MENA ( Middle East and North Africa) region, while the MARE concept would become an inexhaustible source of clean and safe energy for European and West African countries, and possibly supplying the Americas, thus helping to bring down emissions of Greenhouse gases to a sustainable level. In the scenario described in reports from the DLR, it will be possible to cut emissions of CO2 from electricity generation by 70% and phase out nuclear power at the same time – with decreasing electricity costs in the long-term.
