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1/03/2016

Topic Reading-Vol.1362-1/3/2016

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Should we solar panel the Sahara desert?
The Sahara desert is the world largest hot desert. It covers large parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia, about a quarter of the African continent. These countries are more developed compared to the ones in the south, sub-Saharan Africa where only around 30% have access to electricity. This means huge demand for electricity is expected in the coming years or decades as their economy develops and living standards improve.
The question is how this area should be powered without producing greenhouse gasses. One of the simplest solutions is to install solar panels in the Sahara desert where no other practical use of the dry surface has been worked out. Sounds like a simple idea but there are issues need to be looked at such as technology, economy, geography, efficiency, environment and politics.
Enjoy reading and thinking what will be the

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