Wikipedia
DESERTEC is a global vision for clean and reliable energy from deserts to decarbonize the world. The vision has become more concrete through several studies and actions to create a global renewable energy plan based on the concept of harnessing sustainable power from sites where renewable sources of energy are more abundant and transferring it through high-voltage direct current transmission to consumption centers. All kinds of renewable energy sources are envisioned, but the sun-rich deserts of the world play a special role. Several supporters, partners and stakeholders work on the common goal to turn this vision into reality, among them the DESERTEC Foundation, which was founded in 2009 by individuals, among them Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan]] and the Club of Rome.
In October 2009 the DESERTEC vision and the Foundation of the same name got worldwide attention by founding the consortium Dii created in Germany as a limited liability company ( GmbH). The runtime of Dii saw a significant enhancement of the role of renewable energies in the Middle East and North Africa. However, by 2014, 17 of the 20 shareholders had left the consortium, which will be continued on a much smaller scale.
There are some parallels between Desertec and the Atlantropa project plan in the 1920s. Atlantropa aimed to integrate Europe and Northern Africa and its electricity grid based on a giant hydro power station at Gibraltar. the industry platform Dii is continuing paving the way for renewables and grid integration on a very pragmatic basis.