DESERTEC Foundation has achieved new milestone for replication with potential for promoting the global transition to renewable energy in desert regions. It has been demonstrated in Spain, the Puerto Errado 2 (PE2) project that joined the grid already in 2012 with much more power added to the Spanish grid in 2014. PE2 is the world’s largest Fresnel CSP “Concentrated Solar Power” Plant that uses 375 000 square meters to heat water and create steam to derive turbines for generation of electricity. A revolutionary technology with clear advantages for many desert regions where PE2 uses innovative cleaning robots, air-cooled condensers for emission-free power supporting 12 000 Spanish homes.

Development of DESERTEC vision worldwide for using the efficient CSP-technology (for more information visit http://energy.gov/articles/top-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-concentrating-solar-power) with less water and air-cooling systems, is an example of how to involve local communities in providing jobs, during construction and maintenance, and creating green economy and living environments. Puerto Errado 2 shows the positive impacts of renewable power plants on local economy, how economies across the earth’s sun belt can benefit as Novatec and others move into new markets around the world. A technology with advantages for sustainable socio-economic developments, lower cost than oil and similar cost as gas, an affordable and friendly energy for emission-free production and green services.

CSP technology is being widely commercialized with much added power in the past seven years especially in Spain and United Arab Emirates (Shams-I, Masdar in Abu Dhabi). This technology has huge potential in many desert regions around the world especially South America and the MENA region. However, availability of water for turning deserts to green living environments is a major limiting resource. Would it be possible to get double benefits in coastal regions where this technology can be used for desalination as well?