Europe is considering plans to spend more than £5bn on a string of giant
solar power stations along the Mediterranean desert shores of northern Africa
and the Middle East.
More than a hundred of the generators, each fitted with thousands of huge
mirrors, would generate electricity to be transmitted by undersea cable to
Europe and then distributed across the continent to European Union member
nations, including Britain.
Billions of watts of power could be generated this way, enough to provide Europe
with a sixth of its electricity needs and to allow it to make significant cuts
in its carbon emissions. At the same time, the stations would be used as
desalination plants to provide desert countries with desperately needed supplies
of fresh water.
Last week Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan presented details of the scheme -
named Desertec - to the European Parliament. 'Countries with deserts, countries
with high energy ...