

What the Arab Spring Could Mean For Solar Power in Sahara - kloncks
http://www.good.is/post/what-the-arab-spring-could-mean-for-solar-in-the-sahara/

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jdwhit2
The numbers to build a HVDC line across the desert are pretty good:

A HVDC line at 600 kV rated at 3GW (equivalent to supply 1.5 million
households) can be built for $8.62 / MWh [1]

It is estimated that a solar tower in 2020 be built to produce energy at a
cost of $54.7 / MWh [2]

The current base load energy contracts in Europe for 2013 are at around $50.3
/ MWh [3]

If looked at in its entirety, the project cost is overwhelming, but what if a
consortium bankrolled only the HVDC link and acted as a Market Network Service
Provider. They would charge desert solar farms for network access and earn
their return. The same thing is being trialled in Victoria, Australia where
wind is plentiful. A single bulk sized line is built to the windy resource
area and it become viable for smaller wind farm operators to connect at the
end of that line.

[1]
[http://www.ieee.org/portal/cms_docs_pes/pes/subpages/meeting...](http://www.ieee.org/portal/cms_docs_pes/pes/subpages/meetings-
folder/PSCE/PSCE06/panel2/Panel-02-1_Overview_of_HVDC_Transmission.pdf)

[2] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_tower>

[3] <http://www.eex.com/en/>

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rms
Good link, thanks.

