Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC)
One of the problems with renewable energy is the inflexibility of supply. This inflexibility is the very feature that requires EDM which is the topic of this blog. EDM can only go so far in balancing the supply and demand of electricity. Another technique is to builld supergrids that link broad geographical areas so that meteorological variations can be averaged.
In 2003 the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) was founded by the Club of Rome, the Hamburg Climate Protection Foundation and the National Energy Research Center of Jordan (NERC). TREC in cooperation with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) developed the DESERTEC Concept of linking African, Middle East, and Northern European states electrical grids into one supergrid using high voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnects.
This is a fantastic idea. I recommend you visit http://www.desertec.org to learn more and to register your approval for the project in their ‘Give TREC Your Voice’ campaign.
January 14th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Thanks for this.
See also http://www.trec-uk.org.uk/
February 21st, 2008 at 11:53 am
FYI I heard an relevent interview on the Today with Pat Kenny show on RTE Radio 1. Sounds like Eddie O’ Connor (formerly of Airtricity) has just started a new venture, Mainstream Renewable Power that is keen on developing the idea of a Pan European SuperGrid.