All Middle East - North Africa (MENA) countries have an outstanding potential for solar energy. Using concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) plants to power seawater desalination either by electricity or in combined generation with process steam to solve the water scarcity problem in MENA is a rather obvious approach. The AQUA-CSP project sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) quantifies the potential of this technology in MENA and the socio-economic and environmental impacts implied by a large scale dissemination in order to provide a reliable data base for decision and policy makers in the water sector and to facilitate the inclusion of this approach in national expansion plans. The main results of this project are presented here. Growth of population and economy, increasing urbanization and industrialization, and the rather limited natural resources of potable water in MENA are leading to serious deficits of freshwater in many parts of MENA. Modern infrastructure for water distribution, enhanced efficiency of use and better water management are to be established as soon as possible. However, even the change to best practice would leave considerable deficits, which are poorly covered by over-exploiting groundwater resources. Increased use of desalted seawater is therefore unavoidable in order to maintain a reasonable level of water supply. The desalination of seawater based on fossil fuels is neither sustainable nor economically feasible in a long-term perspective, as fuels are increasingly becoming expensive and scarce. Concentrating solar power (CSP) offers a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels for large scale seawater desalination. CSP can help to solve the problem, but market introduction must start immediately in order to achieve the necessary freshwater production rates in time.

The Desert of Egypt as Everlasting Power House

Energy Challenges in Egypt At the present population yearly increase of about 1.5% and an increase in GDP of over 6%, electricity demand is growing in Egypt at a yearly rate of about 7%. This demand was covered till now by using hydropower from the Nile dams and conventional power stations mainly gas fired. In the near future another challenge will appear, namely water scarcity. As there are no other significant sources for water than the Nile, it will be essential to go through seawater desalination, which will need still more energy. Egypt can handle this challenge … if it starts immediately a consequent shift to renewable energies for electricity generation. This is the first step towards and economic and sustainable seawater desalination. The available abundant resources of renewable energies; hydro power, wind energy and especially solar heat suggests a logical solution: Electricity generation from renewables. The available excellent solar potential allows continuous electricity generation from Solar Thermal Power Stations working exactly like conventional steam power stations. Night operation and “supply on demand” are secured by hybrid operation and heat storage. Desalination is performed by the waste heat of the process at competitive costs. Conclusion: This paper shows that it is possible and even economic on the long run, to cover Egypt’s needs for electricity and water from Concentrating Solar Power and other renewable energy sources. A favorable side effect is that the renewable energy available can cover all Egypt’s demands and offer surplus for export to Europe in the frame of a Mediterranean Renewable Energy Partnership. A shift to 100% renewable electricity within this century is possible.