Dr. Gerhard Knies to YT:”If the transition to renewable energies is not started in time, Yemen may face a grand collapse” [Archives:2004/735/Community]
Ismail Al-Ghabiri
Dr. Gerhard Knies, born 1937 in Germany, is a scientist in elementary particle and renewable energy physics. Jointly with the Club of Rome, he helped found the “Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation” (TREC), an international sustainability collaboration of scientists, engineers and politicians from countries around the Mediterranean Sea. TREC tries to create awareness for the potential and for the benefits of solar energy for the MENA countries. Further it aims at joining forces with Europe to initiate projects to exploit solar energy resources with the goals of global climate stabilization and of creating a community for water and energy security in the EU-MENA region. Following are excerpts from an interview Dr. Knies gave Ismail Al-Ghaberi, of the Yemen Times.
Q. What is your impression about Yemen, its people, the conference and the local landscape??
A. The people are very friendly, open and helpful. The streets are full of men, almost no women. Women very visibly have reduced freedom. This may turn out as a severe problem for the development of Yemen.
The MENAREC conference was a strong contrast to the normal life in the country which seems to be coined by the struggle for daily survival. It was very interesting to see at the conference that the Arab world is also concerned with problems of the future of energy and water supply, and of stability of the global climate. I can imagine that these concerns will bring Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) closer together in the coming years.
I saw the landscape of Yemen between Sana'a and the Red Sea. It is spectacular and very scenic. But unfortunately, most of the country is very dry.
Q. How do you see the future of energy and water in Yemen?
A. Thanks to fossil, not renewable reserves of water and oil and gas Yemen's population and economy can grow rapidly. But these water and energy reserves are going to be depleted within this century. If the transition to renewable energies is not started in time, Yemen may face a grand collapse. The excellent solar energy conditions of Yemen offer a way to a sustainable future. Solar thermal power plants and desalination plants can produce from solar light and from sea water electricity and fresh water in co-generation for any demand. Therefore Yemen should begin now to introduce these solar technologies to organize a smooth transition from the finite fossil resources of energy and water to the sustainable solar generation. This way Yemen can also develop a solar technology industry.
Q. How do you see the Standard of living in Yemen?
A. It is much lower than in Germany. Many people still live in simple huts. With the restricted educational level of most Yemenite people, it will be a difficult task to raise the standard of living – except for a few.
Q. What's your idea about the Yemeni media
A. I could read Sana'a Observer and Yemen Times. Both journals present critical views. It seems that there is a free press. For a democracy it is very important to have an independent and free press, that also dares to criticize the government, and in particular the large corruption that is destructive for the country.
Q. Did you discuss projects with the Yemenite authorities?
A. I am pursuing three projects: Firstly, exploring the possibility of making use of solar cooking in a village. Even thou this project is having a slow start, it shows the interest of the EPA to make solar energy to a developmental factor in rural areas.
Secondly, my organization Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation TREC will inform the PEC on the possibilities of producing electricity from sunlight in Solar Thermal Power plants and consult the PEC on a first possible solar power plant project of 20 Megawatt in the region of Saywun.
Thirdly, it is technically possible to build a solar powered water supply system for Sana'a with desalinated water from the Read Sea. Solar thermal power plants at the shoreline of the Read Sea, close to Al Hudaydah, could generate electricity from sun light, and power with their exit thermal energy desalination plants converting sea water to fresh water.
The generated electrical power is sufficient to pump the water up to Sana'a. Enough water for 2 – 3 million people could be produced. The Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation is ready to make, together with the Ministries for Electricity and for Water and Environment, a case study on the feasibility of a Sana'a Solar Power and Water (SANPOWA) project, to come to an assessment of the costs, and the ways for implementation.
To my knowledge, Sana'a is more than 2000 years old. If Sana'a wants to exist as a flourishing place and not as a ghost town in the coming centuries, it needs to have an inexhaustible and reliable source of water. Solar desalination at the read sea and solar electricity can fulfill these criteria. Such a solar water source will cost some money, but the costs will be small as compared to incalculable value of Sana'a. The technology can then be applied to many other places in the world. Yemen and the world community should support this project as a light house project for a sustainable future.
Q. What do you think about the most important thing for Yemeni people?
A. The most important task for Yemen is to raise the education in Yemen. In particular, girls should receive the same education as boys. Ignorance is incalculably more expensive than an ambitious educational system. The next most important task is to radically eliminate corruption, the largest enemy of development. And number three: to develop an economy that is based on human skills rather than on limited natural resources like cheap natural gas.
——
[archive-e:735-v:13-y:2004-d:2004-05-06-p:community]
