Beyond oil and gas, Algeria aims to tap vast sunbelt to export solar energy to Europe

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/10/africa/AF-FEA-GEN-Algeria-Solar-Sahara.php

k&r

dp

....well, Europe. So, how does the 6,000 megawatts get from Africa to Europe? High voltage lines over the Med? I don't think that is going to go over well with hardly anybody. High voltage lines across the sea-bed? I don't think it's technically feasible. Anybody have any (proven, practical) ideas how to transfer 6,000 magawatts across the Med?

There is one small mention of a proposed future grid connection from the Middle East into Europe, but no details. It would probably have to go through Turkey into Eastern Europe.

So, again, how do we get 6,000 megawatts from Algeria to Europe? And going all the way around the east end of the Med, up through Turkey, and all the way west into Europe isn't really practical. The losses would be horrendus.

LIPA/Neptune Activate New Cable Bringing Lower-Cost Energy Directly to Long Island from New Jersey for the First Time

http://www.lipower.org/newscenter/pr/2007/062807_neptune.html

New Cassel, NY – June 28, 2007 – The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and Neptune Regional Transmission System, LLC today announced that the Neptune electric transmission cable between New Jersey and Long Island has completed testing and has been in trial operations under the control of the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) during this week’s heat wave, providing low cost energy to Long Island just in time for the peak summer season when demand for electricity is highest.

The over $600 million, 65-mile long Neptune Regional Transmission System is an undersea and underground High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) system that includes a cable that runs from Sayreville, New Jersey to New Cassel in the Town of North Hempstead in Nassau County. It carries 660 megawatts (MW) of energy, which is enough to meet the electricity demands of about 600,000 average-sized homes.

“Long Island enters a new era with the Neptune cable,” said LIPA Chairman Kevin Law. “The Neptune cable provides LIPA with the opportunity to acquire lower-cost energy to meet customer needs while providing more flexibility in selecting the markets from which we acquire that energy. It is a significant win-win for Long Island.”

“I am extremely pleased that the Neptune cable is now providing much needed energy for Long Island at the start of the summer season when demand for electricity is highest,” said LIPA CEO and President Richard M. Kessel. “When we first proposed the idea of an Atlantic cable in early 2003, the critics doubted it could be done. Through the hard work and dedication of a great many people at LIPA, Neptune and KeySpan personnel, and the regulatory entities involved with the review and approval of this project, Long Island will be well served by the Neptune cable for decades to come.”

<more>

Britain eyes undersea power cable for green energy

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13278/newsDate/13-Nov-2001/story.htm

Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Sea Breeze Pacific to Explore Major New Electric Transmission Project

http://www.pge.com/news/news_releases/q4_2005/051101.html

Energy firm powering ahead with undersea 'Supergrid'

http://www.windaction.org/news/2900

Crossing Med near the Straits of Gibralter would get that juice to the EU...

And yet, there are power cables running between them (under the English Channel.)

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Interconnectors/France/


Maybe the same could be done across the Strait of Gibraltar? (which is a fraction the width of the English Channel, and is dwarfed by the Bass Straight, which has power link crossing beneath it.)



No, you're right. It's impossible. (Stupid Algerians.)

:sarcasm:

I learned that undersea high-voltage lines are feasible and in use. I didn't know that. However, they are HVDC, and require rectifier/inverter stages at each end. The highest capacity line I see listed is 2000 MW, and most are in the 500-600MW range. I'm not sure you can scale up the existing rectifier/inverter technology three times to 6000MW. I guess you could run three lines, if you didn't care about the costs.

The first submarine line dates back to 1954.

Today, there are multiple lines running beneath the English Channel. There was even talk for a while about running one from Iceland to England.

Spain, France and Italy may look a lot more like Algeria in 10 years.

I know that you are *realistic* in terms of solar's contribution, but I seem to recall that you were once a bit more positive on the long-term potential of solar thermal in very hot, dry conditions, such as Algeria's.

Any thoughts?

with a trivial amount of solar boost