“Solar energy is bound to be in our future. There’s a kind of inevitability about it”
Sunlight once viewed as a synonym for hope, love, and no end of other beauty and romance related terms. “She’s my sunlight” or “there’s sunlight at the end of the tunnel” are just a couple of examples of our affinity for the suns golden rays. However, the shine has started to fadeaway, global warming, and skin cancer are shifting our positive connotations of sunlight to something much darker. Yet all hope isn’t lost, enter solar energy, a sustainable energy source than can play a key factor in saving our planet. At present solar energy is still under-utilized, with solar panels yet to become a key fixture in our lives. But we are on the brink of solar energy taking center stage. So where better than an area 3.555 million square miles in size, and 117oF warm? The Sahara Desert.
The Sahara Desert is somewhat of an enigma. It is quite comfortably one of the most beautiful natural landscapes left on this planet, a beauty so entrancing there are very few who would not be tempted to visit. The issue is an hour or so after taking in the sights, hunger and dehydration would soon overcome you. This gigantic collection of sand dunes is the most inhospitable location on the planet, an area just as large as the United States is home to only 2.5 million people. That’s less than 1 person per square mile… But through the use of solar panels, this desolate area could soon be teeming with human life. An introduction of solar plants can change this environment forever. According to several scientists the influx of solar panels in the Sahara will create a change in temperature, resulting in a 2.5 degrees Celsius increase in temperature. This increase would increase the humidity of the air, and in turn double the amount of annual rainfall. Humidity is increased due to solar panels black coloring, this steeply contrasts the natural light coloring of the sand in the region. Leading to an unnatural increase in temperature, creating a steep temperature difference between the land and the surrounding oceans that ultimately lowers surface air pressure and causes moist air to rise and condense into raindrops (science!). This would create a new green area full of vegetation and shrubbery not seen in the region for centuries. Generating a more hospitable area to live and farm, making not just energy but opportunity.
That isn’t to say these ideas of a ‘Green Sahara’ are unanimously accepted. While all scientists seem to agree on the increase in temperature, some remain spectacle it will create any benefits. Of course, a greener Sahara Desert has immense positives for a vast majority of Northern Africa, new land for farming, construction, and business development could revolutionize the region. However, the cost could far outweigh the gain, the science behind solar panels are both the technologies greatest strength and weakness. Designed to absorb sunlight solar panels convert sunlight into energy, an amazing feat, the issue is they cannot convert all of it. Around 15% of the energy solar panels absorb is converted into energy, the rest returned to the environment as heat. According to scientists the aforementioned 2.5-degree Celsius increase in temperature (created by the energy solar panels do not use) while pretty great for the African Continent, doesn’t shine so brightly on the rest of the world. Because this rise could hypothetically affect our entire planets temperature and weather systems. A recent study using an advanced earth system model showed this temperature increase could raise sea levels, create droughts in the Amazon, and produce cyclones in the Vietnam. The fallout would be catastrophic loss of both human and natural life, yet the rewards could bring an end to both. It just comes down to whose science you believe.
Gambling is often referred to as a filthy habit, frequently destroying families and lives its clear to see why. However, what we rarely hear about is the success stories, the people who go from financially having nothing to everything. The truth is sometimes gambling pays off, and with the world suffering from the immense effects of climate change, perhaps a gamble is all we have left. Solarizing the Sahara Desert is of course quite the gamble, but the pay off could be quite something. Dr. Al-Habaibeh one of the leading scientists on the subject of solar energy states.
“Just a small portion of the Sahara could produce as much energy as the entire continent of Africa does at present, As solar technology improves, things will only get cheaper and more efficient. The Sahara may be inhospitable for most plants and animals, but it could bring sustainable energy to life across North Africa — and beyond.”
So, what do you think? Are you ready to put it all on black… Because if his projections are true then the destruction caused by fossil fuels will soon come to an end. Creating a cleaner, and greener earth that is no longer driven by activities such as mining that damage our planet's surface but is instead powered by the natural wonders we have been blessed with.
Not surprisingly, some have grown weary of projections and hypothesis, now taking actions into their own hands. Morocco is the leading nation in Africa’s solar race, and it looks like they are only just getting warmed up. Already having created a solar plant that powers over a million people, they have set their sights on the future. With plans in place not just to power their own nation, but some of the globes most powerful. Discussions are already underway with the UK who are looking for an alternative to Russian power. But the duality of Morocco’s solar plants means their newfound energy will not just supply them with trading profit, but natural resources. Concepts have been created that will turn Morocco’s solar plants into both a solar energy source, and a lush farmland. Truly taking heed of the phrase ‘taking the best of both worlds”.
Since our inception humans have always rushed for things of value, the gold and oil rushes are examples that immediately spring to mind. And the nations of the Sahara likely envisage renewable energy being the next such rush. The solar energy industry is projected to reach a value of $223.3 billion by 2026 alone, meaning the natural sunlight of this region could transform nations that once struggled with poverty and hunger, into international powerhouses. But as with all rushes quality can often be overlooked for quantity, this is a mistake that we cannot afford to occur in this solar race. While solar energy might be renewable, the panels are generally not. Well-made panels can last up to 25-30 years in duration, a long life which someone negates the difficulty in recycling them. However, the cheaper models mass produced in China only last around 2 years, leading the International Renewable Energy Agency to project that solar panel waste could weigh up to 78 million metric tons by 2050. This isn’t just any waste either, solar panels consist of cancerous materials such as lead, chromium, and cadmium. Functional panels are sealed off with glass and are very safe. But when the glass breaks or the panels are damaged, those substances can leak. Making that 78 million metric tons not just pollutant, but toxic.
Don’t worry just yet though, redemption could soon be right around the corner. In Europe manufacturers are required to recycle the panels after their warranty has ended, making the market more environmentally friendly. Should similar regulations be enforced globally the projected waste would significantly reduce, making solar energy as renewable as its name suggests.
So, solar energy in the Sahara Desert… Is it the earths next great salvation? Or its pending destruction? That very much remains to be seen, but one thing is certain, humans one great strength is hope. And we should not give up on solarizing the Sahara just yet, as it might be the only salvation we have left.
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