EnerMENA - Towards Sustainable Implementation of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Technologies in the MENA Region
1. Introduction
The MENA region has a huge potential for the implementation of such technology due to its excellent solar resource conditions. The enerMENA project takes essential steps to prepare the ground towards a sustainable realization of CSP power plants in the MENA region.
Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, the project was initiated and is executed by the Institute of Solar Research at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), a pioneer in the field of CSP technology in cooperation with several partners in the EU-MENA region.
The aim of enerMENA is to provide knowledge and practical experience to CSP specialists and stakeholders in the MENA region. By this it contributes both to the optimization of the construction and the operation of solar thermal power plants.
Furthermore, the enerMENA project engages its partners in desert specific R&D activities to develop efficiency improvement measures. it offers also professional training courses for different target groups. With it's professional training program, enerMENA adresses engineers and technicians working on site as well as researchers, , project developers and University professorsand students in the partner countries.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) works jointly with over 45 partners from Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan to realize the objectives of the enerMENA project. Among partners are engineers, skilled workers, and decision makers at energy centers, national energy agencies, universities, engineering companies and related ministries.
A network of CSP professionals and specialists is being established and supported in the framework of the project to coordinate future activities.
The enerMENA project consists of three different modules:
With it's broad offer of training courses, technical support and R&D projects, the enerMENA project strengthens the EU-MENA partnership in the field of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and brings all stakeholders into an advanced stage of cooperation.
2. enerMENA Capacity Building Program
Strong emphasis was put on the preparation of appropriate training materials to satisfy the specific needs of the different target groups, e.g. field engineers, project planners, professionals and university students.
