DESERTEC signs MOU with Morocco

DESERTEC which is a non-profit foundation for the promotion of renewable energy development in areas of abundant renewable energy, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Moroccan government Agency for the Development of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficency (ADEREE) to consolidate the partnership between the two enetities. DESERTEC will be supporting ADEREE in its strategy and in the exchange of know-how, expertise and policy development. The MOU was signed in October 2012.


Morocco, which imports most of its energy supply, plans to supply 42% of its energy requirments from renewable energy and reduce overall demand by 12% by 2020.

When will the Solar revolution start?

There has always been a lot of hype and enthusiasm in the pursuit of Solar Energy. I find many initiatives dating far back promising unlimited clean energy from the Sun.

The earliest reference I can find from 1928 is the "Sahara Green" initiative (http://desertec-mediterranee.over-blog.com/) which envisaged turning the Sahara desert into green fields by using solar power to desalinate seawater and grow vegetation in the Sahara desert.

In the following decades every time there is an energy crises we see the world economy briefly putting focus on renewable energy only for them to quickly shift away once the crises is over.

Now again in the last few years we do see a renewed interest in renewables, although it seems this is partially driven by the dramatic raise in oil prices in 2008, this time the raise in interest in renewables could be different.

For example the "desert-tech" initative is receiving very strong backing from multiple international organizations. The oil rich Gulf countries have also started instigating their own renewable energy programs. Many countries have also reached consensus form the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Perhaps this time there is a real realization by the world community that oil prices will probably never go back to the prices of the previous decade. Although this will put pressure on the world economy it could at least offer hope for a sustained interest into renewable energy to help progress its development.