Europe faces a dilemma that few want to admit: it does not have sufficient capacity to supply itself with renewable energy and will have to look to Africa. The energy transition, conceived as a pillar in the face of climate change, runs up against the continent's geographical and social limits.
Europe's move away from fossil fuels clashes with the lack of suitable land for large-scale solar and wind farms. Moreover, public opposition to such infrastructure further complicates domestic project development. In light of this situation, Brussels admits that the solution lies in strengthening energy cooperation with North Africa.
The Medlink project, funded by the Connecting Europe Facility, aims to fill part of this gap. The initiative involves the installation of giant solar and wind complexes in Algeria and Tunisia, with the capacity to generate up to 10 GWh of electricity and a robust storage system. The energy will be transported to Europe via two high-voltage submarine cables.
Annual supply is estimated at 28 TWh, enough to cover more than 7 % of Italian electricity demand. European regulations require the benefits to be extended to more than one country, so Switzerland, Austria and Germany are also on the project's horizon. The selected developer is Zhero, an Italian company specialising in renewables, which will lead the deployment.
In parallel, companies in Spain, Germany and Switzerland are developing complementary initiatives to produce green hydrogen, ammonia and other clean fuels for the European market. These projects aim to strengthen energy security and reduce dependence on Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.
The consequence is clear: Africa will become an indispensable partner to sustain Europe's energy transition. Italy will be the gateway, but other countries will soon join this new map of interdependencies. A reality that, although uncomfortable for many, already seems irreversible.
Source: ecoticias.com