Many of the world's most pressing challenges, such as energy demand, the need for increased food production, water scarcity, climate change and desertification are closely intertwined. We believe that we need integrated solutions to face these intertwined problems. The solution for one sector should not come at the expense of another.
Within this framework of a more integrated approach we are convinced that "trends can be turned". It will not happen by launching even more doomsday prophesies and it will not happen by closing our eyes. Trends can be turned by combining understanding of the challenges and knowledge of new solutions with an innovative spirit and hard work.
To use the words of a man who was the catalyst for many great changes, Albert Einstein: "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. " This is why we are proposing to rethink the way we utilize our resources and rethink the design of the production systems that is set up to create growth.
The traditional Extractive use of resources has led to unprecedented growth, but also to tremendous environmental and social challenges. For more than twenty years a more Sustainable use of resources has been set as the target and it still remains a key concept in shaping our future. However, in a number of areas establishing a sustainable balance will not be enough. We believe that in such cases it is a need to move beyond this approach and realize a Restorative use of resources for growth that counters environmental and social challenges.
Traditionally our production systems are set up as a linear process - transferring resources into products, but also ending up with various waste-streams as a consequence. In biological systems this linear process is very rarely encountered. Organisms that waste resources and energy have very low chances for success. With nature as an inspiration we have designed a technological system where the waste product from one technology is used as resource for another. This integrated technological system allows for harvesting beneficial synergies and increased efficiencies of the individual technologies.
Based on this thinking we have therefore set a pretty ambitious target for The Sahara Forest Project. We want to enable a restorative growth defined as "Revegetation and creation of green jobs through profitable production of food, freshwater, biofuels and electricity"
In other words: It needs to be good for the environment, good for people and provide long term economic viability.
Let us for a moment picture a truly large-scale Sahara Forest Project Oasis in the desert. We will assume a combination of ten Oasis-projects, at a grand total of approximately 4 000 hectares. If we situate such a scenario to the northern part of Africa, at modest altitudes, the grand Oasis scheme would consist of the following components and yields:
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) at a combined rating of approximately 570 megawatt. This power plant would yield enough power to supply all needs of the Oasis and at the same time export an average of 27.000 MWh per month - or 324 GWh per year.
A combined area of saltwater greenhouses of 300 hectares. These greenhouses would consume 20 000m3 of freshwater produced by the Oasis' own sun-powered thermal desalination per year, and could as an example yield 190 000 tons of tomatoes and melons combined per year.
The Oasis would have a combined area of 2 000 hectares of outdoor vegetation and crops. Approximately 500 hectares would be fodder crops grown in between evaporative hedges, and the remaining 1500 hectares would be free-ranging re-vegetation of the desert land. The fodder crops would have an annual yield of approximately 30 000 tons.
Furthermore, the Oasis would have algae cultivation facilities of 150 hectares, capable of extracting and yielding bio-fuel ready algae oils at the rate of 7 500 tons per year.
While the above is but one example of many possible scenarios of combinations, it illustrates how a major Sahara Forest Project Oasis can yield substantial amounts of energy, food, fuel and fodder crops - all in a closed-loop system which re-vegetates arid land and provides carbon sequestration in the magnitude of 50 000 tons per year. This particular example could employ up to 20 000 people - and support up to five times as many.
Let us for a moment picture a truly large-scale Sahara Forest Project Oasis in the desert. We will assume a combination of ten Oasis-projects, at a grand total of approximately 4 000 hectares. If we situate such a scenario to the northern part of Africa, at modest altitudes, the grand Oasis scheme would consist of the following components and yields:
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) at a combined rating of approximately 570 megawatt. This power plant would yield enough power to supply all needs of the Oasis and at the same time export an average of 27.000 MWh per month - or 324 GWh per year.
A combined area of saltwater greenhouses of 300 hectares. These greenhouses would consume 20 000m3 of freshwater produced by the Oasis' own sun-powered thermal desalination per year, and could as an example yield 190 000 tons of tomatoes and melons combined per year.
The Oasis would have a combined area of 2 000 hectares of outdoor vegetation and crops. Approximately 500 hectares would be fodder crops grown in between evaporative hedges, and the remaining 1500 hectares would be free-ranging re-vegetation of the desert land. The fodder crops would have an annual yield of approximately 30 000 tons.
Furthermore, the Oasis would have algae cultivation facilities of 150 hectares, capable of extracting and yielding bio-fuel ready algae oils at the rate of 7 500 tons per year.
While the above is but one example of many possible scenarios of combinations, it illustrates how a major Sahara Forest Project Oasis can yield substantial amounts of energy, food, fuel and fodder crops - all in a closed-loop system which re-vegetates arid land and provides carbon sequestration in the magnitude of 50 000 tons per year. This particular example could employ up to 20 000 people - and support up to five times as many.
No comments:
Post a Comment