Depuis les années quarante, la consommation énergétique mondiale n'a cessé d'augmenter. Cette énergie étant majoritairement d'origine fossile, il en résulte une augmentation globale de température terrestre. De ce fait, il est devenu urgent de réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre pour stopper le changement climatique. Dans ce contexte, le développement de la production d'électricité à partir d'énergie solaire concentrée par voie thermodynamique est une solution prometteuse. Les efforts de recherche visent à rendre cette technologie plus efficace et plus compétitive économiquement. Dans ce but, ce manuscrit présente une méthode de conception optimale pour les centrales solaires à récepteur central. Elle tire parti des méthodes développées depuis de nombreuses années par le groupe de recherche StaRWest, regroupant notamment des chercheurs des laboratoires RAPSODEE (Albi), LAPLACE (Toulouse) et PROMES (Odeillo). Couplant des algorithmes de Monte Carlo à hautes performances et des algorithmes stochastiques d'optimisation, le code de calcul implémentant cette méthode permet la conception et l'optimisation d'installations solaires. Il est utilisé pour mettre en évidence les potentialités d'un type de centrales à récepteur central peu répandu : les centrales à réflecteur secondaire, également appelées centrales de type "beam down". / Since the early 40's, world energy consumption has grown steadly. While this energy mainly came from fossil fuel, its use has included an increase in temperatures. It has become urgent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to halt climate change. In this context, the development of concentrated solar power (CSP) is a promising solution. The scientific community related to this topic has to focus on efficiency enhancement and economic competitiveness of CSP technologies. To this end, this thesis aims at providing an optimal design method applied to central receiver power plants. It takes advantage of methods developed over many years by the research group StaRWest. Both RAPSODEE (Albi), LAPLACE (Toulouse) and PROMES (Odeillo) researchers take an active part in this group. Coupling high performance Monte Carlo algorithms and stochastic optimization methods, the code we developed allows an optimal design of concentrated solar systems. This code is used to highlight the potential of an uncommon type of central receiver plants: reflective towers, also called "beam down" central receiver systems.

<p dir="ltr">To decrease the use of fossil fuels that generate greenhouse gases, there has been a push to find alternative processes for electricity generation. An attractive renewable alternative is to use solar-thermal energy for grid level electricity production. One method used to generate electricity from the conversion of solar-thermal energy is concentrated solar power (CSP) via the power tower paradigm, which involves an array of mirrors that concentrate sunlight to a spot on a tower. The light heats up a heat transfer fluid which later transfers the thermal energy to a working fluid that expands so as to spin a turbine to generate electricity. Current CSP plants have a peak operation temperature of 550℃, but improvements to the heat exchanger are integral to increasing the peak operation temperature of such plants to a 750℃ target. Ceramic/metal composites (cermets) have been proposed for use as heat exchangers in these CSP plants due to the creep resistance of the ceramic component and toughness of the metal component. One potential material that has an attractive combination of properties for this application is the alumina/chromium (Al2O3/Cr) cermet, given the rigidity and creep resistance of the Al2O3 component and the high-temperature toughness of the Cr phase. Compared to other oxidation-resistant oxide/metal cermets, the Al2O3 and Cr components of this cermet have a relatively close average linear thermal expansion match from 25℃ to 750℃, which is advantageous due to the thermal gradients and thermal cycling of the heat exchanger during operation.</p><p dir="ltr">In this dissertation, the Al2O3/Cr cermet was produced via reaction forming (RF) or reactive melt infiltration (RMI). The RF method involves the reaction of Cr2O3 and Al constituent powder mixtures at high temperature and modest pressures to obtain dense Al2O3/Cr plates. The RMI method involves immersing a shaped porous Cr2O3 preform into an Al or Al-Cr alloy bath to infiltrate and react to form Al2O3/Al-Cr plates. For both methods, the plate microstructure was analyzed for the various reaction conditions. The adiabatic temperature increase for the reaction between Cr2O3 and Al liquid or Al-Cr liquid alloys was calculated. Thermal properties (linear coefficient of thermal expansion, heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity) and mechanical properties for the RF Al2O3/Cr plates were also measured. Lastly, the reaction kinetics between dense, polycrystalline Cr2O3 and a liquid Al-35at% Cr alloy were experimentally determined at various temperatures and compared to models based on different rate-limiting steps.</p>

No description available.

[pt] O presente trabalho consiste na integração de um campo solar em uma usina de gaseificação de resíduos sólidos urbanos no município de Boa Esperança em Minas Gerais. Os resíduos sólidos acumulados no lixão da cidade são utilizados como insumos para a geração de gás de síntese no reator químico da unidade. Esta operação recupera a extensa área degradada deste vertedouro permitindo a instalação do campo solar com coletores de calhas parabólicas. O intuito do projeto é o fornecimento contínuo de calor pelo campo solar através da instalação de tanques de armazenamento direto de calor. A operação do campo solar é simulada pela elaboração de uma rotina computacional no software Matlab através do método das diferenças finitas unidimensional. A solução numérica do sistema de equações diferenciais que compõe o balanço de energia do receptor solar é validada pela comparação com o teste experimental do Laboratório Nacional de Sandia do concentrador solar SEGS LS-2 com tubo absorvedor evacuado. Além disso, o controle da vazão mássica circulante pelo campo solar é incorporado na lógica computacional de modo que a temperatura na saída do campo solar seja mantida com valores próximo ao set-point de 390 graus Celsius. Portanto, as simulações computacionais com proposições sobre a partida e operação do campo solar são testadas para dias ensolarados do ano meteorológico típico de Boa Esperança. Finalmente, um dia real com nebulosidade é simulado para a análise do funcionamento do campo solar de acordo com a variação intermitente da irradiância direta normal. Os resultados da operação do dia real são utilizados como base para a aplicação da presente rotina computacional em futuros projetos do campo solar. / [en] This work intends to hybridize a solar field into the current waste to energy gasification power plant in Boa Esperança in Minas Gerais. The gasification process converts municipal solid waste to usable synthesis gas for electrical production. This current operation of waste to energy power plant removes waste accumulated from the landfill site. It recovers an extensive area for future solar field installation due to this available space without any waste in the future. The design of the planned solar field comprises the parabolic trough concentrating systems. The aim of the solar design is to provide ongoing heat to the power block with direct storage tanks. The solar field operation is simulated by the development of a Matlab computer program based one dimensional implicit difference method with energy balance approach of an evacuated receiver. The validation of present model was done by comparing the outlet temperatures of simulation results and the experimental data obtained by Sandia National Laboratories. Moreover, the mass flow rate is regulated through the field to make sure that the outlet temperature from the solar collector is kept as close to the desired 390 Celsius Degree as possible. To accomplish the main purpose of the work, many different computational models with start-up and full operation stages are suggested for different clear days along the typical meteorological year of the city Boa Esperança. Eventually, a cloud day with a real meteorological data was chosen for a computational model of the solar field performance. All results of the real day operation are used to improve the computer program of the present work. These results are useful for future solar field design.

Renewable energy for energy production, like Solar, is turning out to be very pertinent in today's world [1]. It is very clear that Solar Energy is going to emerge as one of the key sources of energy in future. Moreover, the storage option is going to play an essential role to the future deployment of solar power plants. Concentrated solar power plants with thermal storage, photovoltaic plants integrated with battery energy storage, and hybrid plants are attractive solutions to obtain a stable and dispatchable energy production. Investors or policymakers usually find it challenging to come up with the most feasible solar storage technology because they need to consider techno-economic feasibility, and at the same time, from a market or administrative perspective as well. So, this thesis study will address the key problem which is aimed at investors or policymakers since there is a need to choose the best solar storage technology at a utility level in future based on so many attributes. The thesis project was carried out in two phases which includes forecast modelling &amp; estimations and techno-economic assessment of virtual plants. These two phases helped to address various questions in relation to the problem statement of this study. The entire thesis study broadly covered seven countries spanning across four major regions around the world. The first phase of the thesis, forecast modelling estimations shows how the seven countries will look in future (2020 – 2050) with respect to installed capacity and costs for PV, CSP, and BESS technologies. Some major results from phase 1 include, in low-cost estimates, China will remain to be the market leader in PV &amp; CSP by 2050. In U.S.A and India, the installed costs of PV are projected to decline by 70% by 2050. By 2050, the installed costs of Solar Tower technology are estimated to drop by about 65% in China and Spain. In U.S.A, the prices of BESS technology are likely to fall by around 58 – 60 % by 2050. In the second phase of thesis study, a techno-economic evaluation of virtual plants addressed the aspects which are to be considered for a solar project if it is deployed in future across seven specific countries. Results from this analysis helps investors or policymakers to choose the cheapest solar storage technology at a utility level across seven specific countries in future (2020 – 2050). Key results from this analysis show that, in the U.S.A, by 2050, PV+BESS will be the cheapest storage technology for 4 – 10 storage hours. Addition of another renewable technology will add up more viability to the comparison. In China, Hybrid will be the cheapest storage technology for 4 – 8 hrs by 2050. There is huge potential for deployment of CSP &amp; hybrid plants in future than PV. In South Africa, CSP will be the cheapest storage technology by 2050 for 4 – 10 hours of storage. It is assumed that deployment of BESS projects at utility level starts from 2025 in South Africa. Beyond this, market forces analysis was carried out which offers insights especially for the policymakers of how various drivers and constraints are influencing each solar technology across the specific countries in future. Overall, the entire thesis study provides guidelines/insights to investors or policy makers for choosing the best solar storage technology in future at a utility scale for a particular country. / Förnybar energi för energiproduktion, liksom Solar, visar sig vara mycket relevant i dagens värld [1]. Det är mycket tydligt att solenergi kommer att framstå som en av de viktigaste energikällorna i framtiden. Dessutom kommer lagringsalternativet att spela en väsentlig roll för den framtida distributionen av solkraftverk. Koncentrerade solkraftverk med värmelagring, solcellsanläggningar integrerade med batterilagring och hybridanläggningar är attraktiva lösningar för att få en stabil och skickbar energiproduktion. Investerare eller beslutsfattare brukar tycka att det är utmanande att komma på den mest genomförbara solcellstekniken eftersom de måste överväga teknikekonomisk genomförbarhet, och samtidigt, ur ett marknads- eller administrativt perspektiv också. Så denna avhandlingsstudie kommer att ta itu med nyckelproblemet som riktar sig till investerare eller beslutsfattare eftersom det finns ett behov av att välja den bästa solenergilagringstekniken på en användningsnivå i framtiden baserat på så många attribut. Avhandlingsprojektet genomfördes i två faser som inkluderar prognosmodellering och uppskattningar och teknikekonomisk bedömning av virtuella anläggningar. Dessa två faser hjälpte till att ta itu med olika frågor i samband med problemstudien i denna studie. Hela avhandlingsstudien omfattade i stort sju länder som sträcker sig över fyra stora regioner runt om i världen. Den första fasen i avhandlingen, prognosmodelleringsuppskattningar visar hur de sju länderna kommer att se ut i framtiden (2020 - 2050) med avseende på installerad kapacitet och kostnader för PV-, CSP- och BESS -teknik. Några viktiga resultat från fas 1 inkluderar, i lågkostnadsuppskattningar, att Kina kommer att vara marknadsledande inom PV och CSP år 2050. I USA och Indien beräknas de installerade kostnaderna för PV minska med 70% år 2050. Av 2050 beräknas de installerade kostnaderna för Solar Tower -teknik sjunka med cirka 65% i Kina och Spanien. I USA kommer priserna på BESS -teknik sannolikt att sjunka med cirka 58 - 60 % år 2050. I den andra fasen av avhandlingsstudien behandlade en teknikekonomisk utvärdering av virtuella anläggningar de aspekter som ska övervägas för ett solprojekt om det används i framtiden i sju specifika länder. Resultaten från denna analys hjälper investerare eller beslutsfattare att välja den billigaste solenergilagringstekniken på en användningsnivå i sju specifika länder i framtiden (2020 - 2050). Viktiga resultat från denna analys visar att i USA, år 2050, kommer PV+BESS att vara den billigaste lagringstekniken på 4 - 10 lagringstimmar. Tillägg av en annan förnybar teknik kommer att öka jämförbarheten. I Kina kommer Hybrid att vara den billigaste lagringstekniken i 4-8 timmar fram till 2050. Det finns en enorm potential för distribution av CSP &amp; hybridanläggningar i framtiden än PV. I Sydafrika kommer CSP att vara den billigaste lagringstekniken år 2050 för 4 - 10 timmars lagring. Det antas att distributionen av BESS -projekt på verktygsnivå börjar från 2025 i Sydafrika. Utöver detta genomfördes marknadskravsanalys som ger insikter speciellt för beslutsfattarna om hur olika drivkrafter och begränsningar påverkar varje solteknik i de specifika länderna i framtiden. Sammantaget ger hela avhandlingsstudien riktlinjer/insikter till investerare eller beslutsfattare för att välja den bästa solenergitekniken i framtiden i en nyttoskala för ett visst land.

Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a fast-growing technology for electricity production. With mirrors (heliostats) irradiation of the sun is concentrated onto a receiver run through by a heat transfer fluid (HTF). The fluid by that reaches high temperatures and is used to drive a steam turbine for electricity production. A CSP power plant is most often coupled with an energy storage unit, where the HTF is stored before it is dispatched and used to generate electricity. Electricity is most often sold at an open market with a fluctuating spot-prices. It is therefore of high importance to generate and sell the electricity at the highest paid hours, increasingly important also since the governmental support mechanisms aimed to support renewable energy production is faded out since the technology is starting to be seen as mature enough to compete by itself on the market. A solar power plant thus has an operational protocol determining when energy is dispatched, and electricity is sold. These protocols are often pre-defined which means an optimal production is not achieved since irradiation and electricity selling price vary. In this master thesis, an optimization algorithm for electricity sales is designed (in MATLAB). The optimization algorithm is designed by for a given timeframe solve an optimization problem where the objective is maximized revenue from electricity sales from the solar power plant. The function takes into consideration hourly varying electricity spot price, hourly varying solar field efficiency, energy flows in the solar power plant, start-up costs (from on to off) plus conditions for the logic governing the operational modes. Two regular pre-defined protocols were designed to be able to compare performance in a solar power plant with the optimized dispatch protocol. These three operational protocols were evaluated in three different markets; one with fluctuating spot price, one regulated market of three fixed price levels and one in spot market but with zero-prices during sunny hours. It was found that the optimized dispatch protocol gave both bigger electricity production and revenue in all markets, but with biggest differences in the spot markets. To evaluate in what type of powerplant the optimizer performs best, a parametric analysis was made where size of storage and power block, the time-horizon of optimizer and the cost of start-up were varied. For size of storage and power block it was found that revenue increased with increased size, but only up to the level where the optimizer can dispatch at optimal hours. After that there is no increase in revenue. Increased time horizon gives increased revenue since it then has more information. With a 24-hour time horizon, morning price-peaks will be missed for example. To change start-up costs makes the power plant less flexible and with fewer cycles, without affect income much. / Koncentrerad solkraft (CSP) är en snabbt växande teknologi för elektricitets-produktion. Med speglar (heliostater) koncentreras solstrålar på en mottagare som genomflödas av en värmetransporteringsvätska. Denna uppnår därmed höga temperaturer vilket används för att driva en ångturbin för att generera el. Ett CSP kraftverk är oftast kopplat till en energilagringstank, där värmelagringsvätskan lagras innan den används för att generera el. El säljs i de flesta fall på en öppen elmarknad, där spotpriset fluktuerar. Det är därför av stor vikt att generera elen och sälja den vid de timmar med högst elpris, vilket också är av ökande betydelse då supportmekanismerna för att finansiellt stödja förnybar energiproduktion används i allt mindre grad för denna teknologi då den börjar anses mogen att konkurrera utan. Ett solkraftverk har således ett driftsprotokoll som bestämmer när el ska genereras. Dessa protokoll är oftast förutbestämda, vilket innebär att en optimal produktion inte fås då exempelvis elspotpriset och solinstrålningen varierar. I detta examensarbete har en optimeringsalgoritm för elförsäljning designats (i MATLAB). Optimeringsscriptet är designat genom att för en given tidsperiod lösa ett optimeringsproblem där objektivet är maximerad vinst från såld elektricitet från solkraftverket. Funktionen tar hänsyn till timvist varierande elpris, timvist varierande solfältseffektivitet, energiflöden i solkraftverket, kostnader för uppstart (on till off) samt villkor för att logiskt styra de olika driftlägena. För att jämföra prestanda hos ett solkraftverk med det optimerade driftsprotokollet skapades även två traditionella förutbestämda driftprotokoll. Dessa tre driftsstrategier utvärderades i tre olika marknader, en med ett varierande el-spotpris, en i en reglerad elmarknad med tre prisnivåer och en i en marknad med spotpris men noll-pris under de soliga timmarna. Det fanns att det optimerade driftsprotokollet gav både större elproduktion och högre vinst i alla marknader, men störst skillnad fanns i de öppna spotprismarknaderna. För att undersöka i vilket slags kraftverk som protokollet levererar mest förbättring i gjordes en parametrisk analys där storlek på lagringstank och generator varierades, samt optimerarens tidshorisont och kostnad för uppstart. För lagringstank och generator fanns att vinst ökar med ökande storlek upp tills den storlek optimeraren har möjlighet att fördela produktion på dyrast timmar. Ökande storlek efter det ger inte ökad vinst. Ökande tidshorisont ger ökande vinst eftersom optimeraren då har mer information. Att ändra uppstartkostnaden gör att solkraftverket uppträder mindre flexibelt och har färre cykler, dock utan så stor påverkan på inkomst.

Solar absorber coatings are one of the key components in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Currently operating at temperatures up to 565°C and suffering from emissive losses, their energy conversion efficiency could be improved by applying high-temperature stable materials with solar selective properties, i.e. high absorptivity and low emissivity. In this work, the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) SnO2:Ta is developed as a solar selective coating (SSC) for CSP absorbers. Starting with simulations covering basic requirements for SSCs, the deposition process of SnO2:Ta is optimized and extensive optical characterization and modelling are performed. It is shown that upon covering with a SiO2 antireflective layer, a calculated absorptivity of 95% and an emissivity of 30% are achieved for the model configuration of SnO2:Ta on top of a perfect black body (BB). High-temperature stability of the developed TCO up to 800 °C is shown in situ by spectroscopic ellipsometry and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. The universality of the concept is then demonstrated by transforming silicon and glassy carbon from non-selective into solar selective absorbers by depositing the TCO on top of them. Finally, the energy conversion efficiencies ηCSP of SnO2:Ta on top of a BB and an ideal non-selective BB absorber are compared as a function of solar concentration factor C and absorber temperature TH.

Die Staatsexamensarbeit befasst sich sowohl mit den Potentialen, als auch mit den möglichen Problemen des Desertec Projekts im französischsprachigen Norden Afrikas. Der Autor beleuchtet im ersten Teil die Potentiale des Projekts für von einem kultur-, politik-, sozialwissenschaftlichen Standpunkt. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit setzt sich der Autor intensiv mit der Frage nach der Kritik der neokolonialistischen Bestrebungen der Projektinitiatoren auseinander. Darüber hinaus beleuchtet er die Kommunikationsstrategie der Desertec Foundation näher und legt das interkulturelle Potential dieses Unterfangens dar. Daran schließt sich ein Überblick über die französischen, marokkansichen und deutschen Pressestimmen im Zeitraum von 2009 - 2012 zum Desertec Projekt an. Den Abschluss bildet eine Standortanalyse mit dem Fokus auf den von der AQIM ausgehenden Terrorismus und der Korruption vor Ort. / The author of the exam thesis „Das Desertec Projekt und der Arabisch-Frankophone Maghreb am Beispiel Marokko“ discusses various important cultural aspects of the implementation of the mega-project Desertec in the francophone area of North Africa. In this thesis, the author puts the advantages presented by the Desertec Foundation into perspective and discusses possible impediments from a cultural point of view. The first part of the paper covers the topics of solar powered drinking water abstraction as a possibility to meet local needs and Desertec as a promoter of social stability and economic development in the MENA region. The second part is concerned with a discussion of alleged neo-colonial intentions of the companies supporting the Desertec project as well as its management. Moreover, the author discusses the communication strategy of the project and the influence of intercultural aspects on the success of the Desertec vision. Furthermore, the thesis contains a review on press reactions on the topic in the period of 2009 – 2012 and a brief location study discussing the topic of terrorism and corruption in the Maghreb region. The author comes to the conclusion that a mega-project like Desertec cannot solely rely on economic facts and engineering ingenuity, but has to take all cultural points into account and make use of the synergetic effect in order to lead this project to success.

Die Staatsexamensarbeit befasst sich sowohl mit den Potentialen, als auch mit den möglichen Problemen des Desertec Projekts im französischsprachigen Norden Afrikas. Der Autor beleuchtet im ersten Teil die Potentiale des Projekts für von einem kultur-, politik-, sozialwissenschaftlichen Standpunkt. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit setzt sich der Autor intensiv mit der Frage nach der Kritik der neokolonialistischen Bestrebungen der Projektinitiatoren auseinander. Darüber hinaus beleuchtet er die Kommunikationsstrategie der Desertec Foundation näher und legt das interkulturelle Potential dieses Unterfangens dar. Daran schließt sich ein Überblick über die französischen, marokkansichen und deutschen Pressestimmen im Zeitraum von 2009 - 2012 zum Desertec Projekt an. Den Abschluss bildet eine Standortanalyse mit dem Fokus auf den von der AQIM ausgehenden Terrorismus und der Korruption vor Ort. / The author of the exam thesis „Das Desertec Projekt und der Arabisch-Frankophone Maghreb am Beispiel Marokko“ discusses various important cultural aspects of the implementation of the mega-project Desertec in the francophone area of North Africa. In this thesis, the author puts the advantages presented by the Desertec Foundation into perspective and discusses possible impediments from a cultural point of view. The first part of the paper covers the topics of solar powered drinking water abstraction as a possibility to meet local needs and Desertec as a promoter of social stability and economic development in the MENA region. The second part is concerned with a discussion of alleged neo-colonial intentions of the companies supporting the Desertec project as well as its management. Moreover, the author discusses the communication strategy of the project and the influence of intercultural aspects on the success of the Desertec vision. Furthermore, the thesis contains a review on press reactions on the topic in the period of 2009 – 2012 and a brief location study discussing the topic of terrorism and corruption in the Maghreb region. The author comes to the conclusion that a mega-project like Desertec cannot solely rely on economic facts and engineering ingenuity, but has to take all cultural points into account and make use of the synergetic effect in order to lead this project to success.

Die Staatsexamensarbeit befasst sich sowohl mit den Potentialen, als auch mit den möglichen Problemen des Desertec Projekts im französischsprachigen Norden Afrikas. Der Autor beleuchtet im ersten Teil die Potentiale des Projekts für von einem kultur-, politik-, sozialwissenschaftlichen Standpunkt. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit setzt sich der Autor intensiv mit der Frage nach der Kritik der neokolonialistischen Bestrebungen der Projektinitiatoren auseinander. Darüber hinaus beleuchtet er die Kommunikationsstrategie der Desertec Foundation näher und legt das interkulturelle Potential dieses Unterfangens dar. Daran schließt sich ein Überblick über die französischen, marokkansichen und deutschen Pressestimmen im Zeitraum von 2009 - 2012 zum Desertec Projekt an. Den Abschluss bildet eine Standortanalyse mit dem Fokus auf den von der AQIM ausgehenden Terrorismus und der Korruption vor Ort.:Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 1. Einleitung 2 2. Forschungsstand 5 3. Das Desertec-Projekt 6 3.1 Einführung 6 3.2 Technische Umsetzung 9 3.3 Vorteile des Desertec-Konzepts aus der Sicht des Konsortiums 11 3.3.1 Trinkwassergewinnung durch solarenergiebetriebene Meerwasser- entsalzungsanlagen 12 3.3.2 Vom Shatterbelt zum Gateway – Stabilisierung der MENA-Region 14 3.3.3 Entwicklungspolitische Perspektiven 16 4. Kulturtheoretische Betrachtungen des Desertec-Projekts18 4.1 Beutet Europa Afrika wieder aus? – Neokolonialismus 18 4.2 Desertec als barmherziger Samariter? – Kommunikationsanalyse 25 4.3 Interkulturelle Komponenten 33 5. Pressereaktionen Deutschland-Frankreich-Marokko von 2009-2012 39 6. Der Standort Marokko 47 6.1 Terrorismus 48 6.2 Korruption 52 7. Fazit 56 8. Bibliographie 60 Abkürzungsverzeichnis 73 Selbstständigkeitserklärung 74 / The author of the exam thesis „Das Desertec Projekt und der Arabisch-Frankophone Maghreb am Beispiel Marokko“ discusses various important cultural aspects of the implementation of the mega-project Desertec in the francophone area of North Africa. In this thesis, the author puts the advantages presented by the Desertec Foundation into perspective and discusses possible impediments from a cultural point of view. The first part of the paper covers the topics of solar powered drinking water abstraction as a possibility to meet local needs and Desertec as a promoter of social stability and economic development in the MENA region. The second part is concerned with a discussion of alleged neo-colonial intentions of the companies supporting the Desertec project as well as its management. Moreover, the author discusses the communication strategy of the project and the influence of intercultural aspects on the success of the Desertec vision. Furthermore, the thesis contains a review on press reactions on the topic in the period of 2009 – 2012 and a brief location study discussing the topic of terrorism and corruption in the Maghreb region. The author comes to the conclusion that a mega-project like Desertec cannot solely rely on economic facts and engineering ingenuity, but has to take all cultural points into account and make use of the synergetic effect in order to lead this project to success.:Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 1. Einleitung 2 2. Forschungsstand 5 3. Das Desertec-Projekt 6 3.1 Einführung 6 3.2 Technische Umsetzung 9 3.3 Vorteile des Desertec-Konzepts aus der Sicht des Konsortiums 11 3.3.1 Trinkwassergewinnung durch solarenergiebetriebene Meerwasser- entsalzungsanlagen 12 3.3.2 Vom Shatterbelt zum Gateway – Stabilisierung der MENA-Region 14 3.3.3 Entwicklungspolitische Perspektiven 16 4. Kulturtheoretische Betrachtungen des Desertec-Projekts18 4.1 Beutet Europa Afrika wieder aus? – Neokolonialismus 18 4.2 Desertec als barmherziger Samariter? – Kommunikationsanalyse 25 4.3 Interkulturelle Komponenten 33 5. Pressereaktionen Deutschland-Frankreich-Marokko von 2009-2012 39 6. Der Standort Marokko 47 6.1 Terrorismus 48 6.2 Korruption 52 7. Fazit 56 8. Bibliographie 60 Abkürzungsverzeichnis 73 Selbstständigkeitserklärung 74