Solar Power in the Desert: MENA Update | Renewable Energy News Article

New Hampshire, U.S.A. -- Wrought with desert conditions including sand, almost no rain and very hot sun, the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region of the world has recently captured the interest of solar power developers who see it as holding great potential for generating vast quantities of solar energy. Organizations are hard at work analyzing the region for its cost-competitiveness with conventional forms of energy. Other companies are performing R&D to figure out how to adapt solar power equipment to work in the hot, dry and gritty environment. For now, the region relies almost exclusively on fossil fuels to meet its energy needs but that may be changing soon.

A study by the Emirates Solar Industry Association (ESIA) showed that solar power is economically viable across MENA. The report authors say that the falling cost of solar panels, the rising cost of conventional fuels and the “excellent fit to demand patterns” are the reasons that solar power now makes sense in region. ESIA showed how during the hottest portion of the day, when office air conditioners are blasting, would be the time that solar power plants were at their generating the most amount of energy.