On a highway in southern Egypt, the yellow-brown desert turns suddenly black. Miles the solar panels - dark gray, to the sun, tilted PV panels for Egypt's hoped-for turnaround in energy policy routes on the horizon of tomorrow. Here in the solar Park in Benban, one of the world's greatest, the technology has achieved in terms of area, a preliminary peak. With a surface area that corresponds to more than 50 football fields, is Benban now see on satellite photos from space.

the heat and dust for the workers to be constant companions. In the summer the temperatures can rise up to 50 degrees Celsius, and those who drink too little, runs the risk of circulatory collapse. Workers are expected to only the two of us into the field, says Mahmoud Sidan, a security officer in one of the plots. On the toilet in the Container notices warn of honey-coloured or brown urine: lack of liquid! Water to drink, now! "The most important thing is to always drink water, even if you are not thirsty," says engineer Ahmed Atif.

From the point of view of German development Minister, Gerd Müller is the out-of-this-world interactive system, the next Chapter of a success story by the name of solar power. "We are at the beginning, not at the end of the use of solar energy," said the CSU politician of the German press Agency, during a visit in Benban, a few days ago. It is the "beginning of a Renaissance was" the solar energy in Africa, Asia and South America.

In the case of solar energy Chin's top rider

are Actually grown in Morocco, Abu Dhabi, China, and India, solar farms on a massive scale pre. China, the launching with the United States and India, the world's largest amount of climate-damaging greenhouse gases such as CO2, is the front-runner. "Within 25 years, China had virtually no solar panels has managed it the world with a margin of more than 100 percent in lead," summed up the world economic forum in the summer. In 2018, the country installed with 44 gigawatts of the most of Solar power, followed by India (8 GW), Japan (7 GW), Australia (5 GW) and Germany (3 GW).

But the Park will encounter in terms of surface area to their limits. "There are not many places where so much of the Land in the vicinity of Metropolitan areas with large energy consumption is available," says Analyst Tom Heggarty of the British energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. "The number of locations, where this energy can be transported over large distances, is pretty low." Power transmission on a large scale is expensive and, until today, a technical challenge. Also at the solar Park in Benban, where the overhead line masts like steel giant protrude into the desert landscape, was the expansion of the grid to be a sticking point.

And, because plants such as Benban - the Park can according to the flow of money for up to a Million households donors to generate - require a lot of space, there is bound to be a dispute over land-use often. This applies, for example, for agricultural areas, as the example of Italy to see is: solar power would have to be actually used for a long time already, and the market is growing much faster, says Heggarty. But the land in the southern European country is fragmented, and local municipalities and authorities brace themselves frequently against the Expansion of solar power.

in Germany it is up

Also the German solar industry seems to berappeln after its decline of the past few years. The industry is forecasting growth. In order to achieve the self-imposed climate targets, Germany must give the solar expansion, but Gas: According to the experts of the Fraunhofer Institute, an annual growing from 5 to 15 gigawatts is necessary. Areas in Germany, there are enough without that arable land would be claimed significantly. According to the Fraunhofer Institute, these offer a potential of 226 GW.

The European Union can engage in climate protection, meanwhile, is even higher, according to a new study - namely, the electrification of the entire economy. Thus, the medium-term EU's climate goals, even exceed them, according to a new study by the Research company BloombergNEF, the power management company Eaton and the producer Statkraft. By 2030, the CO2 could be conducted-emissions by 63 percent compared to the year 1990, compared to the previously targeted 40 percent.

The Solar-Party-will - also thanks to the cheaper and cheaper components - for a while to continue, says Analyst Heggarty. In the Middle East and North Africa electricity demand is growing steadily, many households are not yet connected to the electricity grid. Unlike hydropower plants, Solar and wind power plants is also rapidly developing, the construction work need part of only months. The share of Solar and wind power in the global energy mix is still negligible: Until today, coal, Oil, and natural gas dominate.

Diab, Ali was in Benban from the beginning with this - as one of the 12,000 construction workers. He shoveled Sand out of trenches and cables, today he works as an assistant to one of the parcels. For the Job, he returned to his Farm, where now his brothers take care of the cultivation of sugar cane and wheat. On the question of whether the work in the solar Park was more exhausting than before in the field, says Ali: "Every work is a challenge." René wants to return: So you can give your child to the age of 18. nearly 90,000 euros from the state FOCUS Online René wants to return: So you can give your child to the age of 18. nearly 90,000 euros from the state

csf Date Of Update: 20 February 2020, 15:00