A basis for investment
The CEO of DII GmbH, Paul Van Son said, ‘We recognise and strongly support the DESERTEC vision as a pivotal part of the transition to a sustainable energy supply in the MENA countries and Europe. Now the time has come to turn this vision into reality. That implies intensive co-operation with many parties and cultures to create a sound basis for feasible investments into renewable energy technologies and interconnected grids. The DII will primarily focus on the economic, technical and regulatory conditions that must be fulfilled for successful project implementation. Early reference projects will allow us to learn for further rollout plans by the DII and other parties.’
Gaining support
Since the announcement in July, the DII has gained support from a wide variety of political and governmental institutions in the MENA region and Europe. For example, the DII intends to collaborate closely with the Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP). The MSP aims at the creation of a new balanced north-south Mediterranean relationship based on the promotion of sustainable energy projects. Both initiatives; the MSP as a political initiative, and the DII as a private industry initiative, share the same goals and can therefore mutually support each other.
All DII signatories agree on the need for efficient climate protection measures. Torsten Jeworrek, member of the board of Munich Re, on behalf of the DII founding members, said ‘The question is not whether we should something, but how we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere and how this goal can be achieved in an intelligent manner, which results in a win-win situation for both the environment and the economy. With regard to the important UN climate summit in Copenhagen, this private sector initiative demonstrates how business potentials can be aligned with sustainability goals.’