Sahara Solar Energy Research Center
People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
The University of Tokyo / Hirosaki University / National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) / National Institute of Informatics (NII)
University of Science and Technology, Oran (USTO), etc.
FY 2010
5 Years
A major power project that uses the most abundant raw material on earth
Deserts such as the Sahara Desert, the world’s largest, cover vast areas of land, have an abundance of sunlight, and are a treasure-house of sand that contains large quantities of silica, the raw material for silicon. In this project, solar breeders (silicon factory + photovoltaic power plant) will be constructed in the desert, and the power that is produced will be used to construct more solar breeders. Then hightemperature superconducting power transmission systems that have little power transmission loss will be used to send the power to various parts of the world. The project represents an attempt to provide an ultimate solution to the world’s energy problem by transforming barren deserts into a new energy resource.
Studying purification of silica in sand and silicon manufacture in preparation for the project
Currently, the establishment of basic data is underway in anticipation of the project’s realization from cooperative basic research. Instead of introducing builtin technology, Japanese and Algerian researchers work together to discover new knowledge, including the development of new technologies for efficiently converting silica into silicon. Collection of the basic data required to enable high-temperature superconducting cables to pass through desert regions, and studies to analyze and separate the components of Sahara sand and to identify its untapped resources are also proceeding.
A circular farm that uses groundwater in the desert. Electricity is needed to pump up the groundwater.
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Department of International Affairs
SATREPS Group
TEL : +81-3-5214-8085
Environment / Energy
(Carbon Neutrality)
Development and Social Implementation of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Technologies in Paddy Fields of West Tonle Sap Lake by Establishing a Large Paddy Area Water Management System
Environment / Energy
(Global-scale environmental issues)
Risk-based Participatory WASH Planning and Citizen-data WASH Statistics for African Peri-urban Settlements
Environment / Energy
(Carbon Neutrality)
Development of Innovative Technologies for Efficient Generation of Green/Blue Hydrogen for Realization of Carbon-neutral Society with Consideration of Industrial and Environmental Characteristics in the Region