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Re-greening the Re-greening the Sahara…Sahara…

…using renewable energy for

desalination

Incoteco (Denmark) ApS

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The Sahara

Just 5000 years ago, most of this was a great grass land, supporting a wide variety of life.Archeological remains show that much of the area that is now desert once supported great cities

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incotecoClimate Change was rampant...

....causing the great drought and the formation of the desert

Carthage was not built for its desert views!

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CONTEXT - technical

There has been a considerable increase in efficiency and reduced specific cost during last 15 years of:

Wind energy photovoltaics seawater desalination, especially

reverse osmosis arid land agronomy

Market value of fossil fuel has risen by factor of 3 since 2000

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incotecoCONTEXT Environmental

World-wide increase of: Atmospheric CO2 has increased from

280 to 370 ppm in last 50 years Desertification, continuing 5000 year

old trend Population rises to 9 billion by 2020 Water shortages Loss of arable land

Low cost oil and gas depletion makes renewables competitive

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incotecoCONTEXT - Political

Potentially lethal pressure caused by a growing population in Africa and lack of:– industry– Water, exacerbated by frequent drought– Affordable, non-polluting energy– Arable land– Food

“Keep-out” mind set of developed nations towards the misery and poverty of Africans

Parallel problems exist in other desert regions, eg Mexico/USA

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Context - Resources

Thousands of miles of undeveloped littoral, close to over-developed Europe– For tourism– Agriculture– Fish farms

Large and growing population Unique solar resource Lots of wind, some of it excellent Some oil wealth Shared cultures and language

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Re-green the SaharaWhy Not?

Starting around the cities, aim to deliver more renewable energy, balanced by existing fossil plants and the increasing use of desalination.

The Arabian Peninsula, once green can also be

re-greened

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...as renewable capacity builds up...

...link fertile strips with a common grid, deepen into desertInter-connect North African power grid and export CO2-free energy to Europe thro’ Spain and Italy

Links with Great man-made river

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Economic ReturnsWealth is created by: Tourism Real estate appreciation Agriculture and aquaculture Food processing Sale of CO2-free power to Europe Industrial development Export of know-how to other arid regions Etc., etc.

Region becomes economically attractive and growing

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A PROPOSAL

This proposal must be driven by Africans for Africans

Each nation to be responsible for financing and developing its own solutions

Employ the widest possible range of technical solutions

From all over the GlobeSeed capital supplied from oil revenues?

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Proposal - Moving Forward

1. Present concept to regional leaders2. ...who can commission a...3. ...Preliminary study – 6 to 12 months4. This is presented to Regional

Governments who pass enabling legislation that allows...

5. ...privately financed development groups to realise early projects