Sahara Forest Project Promises to Transform Desert

$115 million to build 50 acres of sustainable, productive greenhouses growing food in the middle of the Sahara Desert? According to Charlie Paton, Michael Pawlyn, and Bill Watts of the Sahara Forest Project, this is just the tip of the iceberg. As currently envisioned, these technologies could also produce electric power for cities in Africa and Europe, renewable bio-fuel, and ample fresh water in the process.

The concept combines multiple already-proven technologies into one system to transform the desert into a productive landscape. Concentrated solar power (CSP) focuses the sun's rays with mirrors to heat water into steam and spin turbines to generate power. Seawater greenhouses convert ocean water to fresh water using condensation, providing fresh water and nutrients for crop growth and lowering the temperature inside.

Ideally, ocean water would be transported to areas of the Sahara below sea level, reducing the energy required for pumping. Excess fresh water can be distributed for CSP mirror cleaning and used outdoors in the desert environment to foster renewable biofuel crops such as jathropha. The system would be highly efficient, since 85% of captured solar energy would be utilized by the combination of seawater greenhouses and CSP facilities.

According to energy specialist Neil Crumpton, CSP facilites covering just one percent of the world's desert regions could fulfill 20% of total global energy consumption. Demonstration facilities are already running in Oman, Tenerife, and the United Arab Emirates.

[via The Guardian]