The World's Largest Deserts: Unlocking Challenging Energy Opportunities
The rising global demand for affordable and sustainable energy has spurred significant investments in solar power. Regions with the highest solar radiation are particularly attractive, offering ideal conditions for technologies like concentrated solar power.
By leveraging advanced sunlight-focusing technologies, the vast energy potential of these regions can be harnessed more efficiently.
It is evident, even without expert knowledge, that deserts receive roughly twice as much solar radiation as Europe.
Why are solar power plants still relatively rare in desert regions, despite their abundant solar radiation?
Image source: NASA, Ben Figgis, Pawan Singh / The National, Reuters/Stringer, First Solar, Ricardo Arduengo AFP
Dust intensity around the world
Source: World Robinson
The measurement results in this area of the Photovoltaik-Institute Berlin lead to the following conclusion: "A sandstorm sweeping across a PV power plant may cause all the modules to become completely covered with sand, leading to a 100 percent loss in yield."
