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Technology, Innovation and Solutions linked to the Sahara Wind project presented at the Africa Climate Resilient Infrastructure Summit (ACRIS III) in Marrakech on February 27-28, 2018.

Showcasing innovations likely to shape North Africa’s global industries, Sahara Wind demonstrated key sustainability trends affecting energy infrastructures when backed by efficient industrial processes. Relying on Atlantic trade wind-induced currents which deposited over 71% of World phosphate deposits, these enable key industries such as fertilizers to de-carbonize, leading to the emergence of a renewable hydrogen economy. Relying on the region’s iron-ore deposits that can also be carbon-free, direct-reduced into Steels the Sahara Wind project HVDC line provides a business case ushering a sustainability era beyond Africa’s borders.

“Sahara Wind Project: A Regional Catalyst for Renewables” presented at the International Workshop on the "Implementation of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Maghreb" on 18-20 December 2017 in Rabat, Morocco.

Organized by the Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC), the Université Internationale de Rabat and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, this workshop highlighted the Maghreb countries’ differentiated strategies aimed at securing a sustainable access to water and energy to try and preserve their food security-related agriculture. In today’s global climate transition, the Sahara Wind project’s energy, water and food ramifications encompassing phosphate footprints into fertilizer industries were evaluated.

Sahara Wind Chairs the Sixth Annual EnergyTalk in London, November 21^st 2017.

On behalf of the World Wind Energy Association Khalid Benhamou CEO of Sahara Wind, Chairs the Sixth EnergyTalk. It is a Global Wind Power, Technology Innovation annual meeting which brings together some of the most influential senior executives across the world’s Wind Energy community. The Talk looked at how companies and leaders are driving change within the industry to achieve technology innovation and development through a series of key notes, workshops, discussions and debates. The discussions covered a range of technical issues relevant to wind farm construction, commissioning, operation, real-time monitoring, grid integration, flexibility, storage & innovation.

Sahara Wind at MEDays, November 8-11 2017.

Sahara Wind contributed to the 10th edition of the MEDays forum on November 8-11 2017. The panels "BRICs-Africa: From Growth to Co-Emergence", " Think Tanks & Soft Power in Middle East and Africa: The New Tools of the Global Battle of influence" and " Cyber War and E-security: New Threats, New Geopolitics?" have been moderated by Khalid Benhamou, CEO of Sahara Wind. Organized in Tangier on the theme "From defiance to challenges: the era of major upheavals" MEDays gathered a community of 150 high-level speakers with 3000 participants.

Sahara Wind at the Africa Panel of the ‘Community Wind Symposium’ and the Crossroads conference held prior to COP23 in Bonn, Germany

Organized by the World Wind Energy Association WWEA on November 3 2017, the ‘Community Wind Symposium’ assessed global energy transition issues. During a panel discussion, Khalid Benhamou CEO of Sahara Wind, presented its impact on the African continent. Economic, social and political implications in ensuring a sustainable access of wind resources for an integrated development in the continent were discussed. Anticipating on the COP23 global climate deadline, these topics were further debated at the Crossroad Bonn conference.

Sahara Wind at ‘Climate Chance 2017’, the Climate Actors World Summit in Agadir, Morocco September 11-13, 2017

The growing mobilization of non-state actors, particularly since COP22 in Marrakech, shows that the reinforcement and progress of concrete actions taking place in territories are indeed essential to meet the objectives of the fight against climate change. In partnership with the Souss-Massa Region, this summit was the biggest event for non-state actors (local authorities, companies, NGOS, etc.) before COP23. The Climate Chance Summit was organized around a variety of events with plenaries to discuss major issues. It brought together key personalities from the international climate action sphere, high-level dialogues with climate champions and focus sessions to present significant initiatives. Forums and workshops highlighted the mobilization and acceleration of climate action.

Decarbonizing the world’s largest fertilizer industries presented at ICOME’17 on July 09^th 2017 in Tianjin, China

The trade wind-induced origins of the world’s largest phosphate-rock deposits together with Sahara Wind's integrated wind-electricity pathways for decarbonizing the world’s largest fertilizer industries presented at ICOME17. China and Morocco are leading fertilizer producers capable of eliminating carbon pathways in their fertilizer industries thanks to phosphate reserves and tremendous wind potentials. The International Conference on Material and Energy ICOME held from July 06-09 2017 in Tianjin, China provided a platform to demonstrate energy transition opportunities likely to shape low-carbon energy projects.

Sahara Wind at the Global Forum on Energy Security June 26-27 2017

Held in Beijing, China on the theme ‘Energy in transition: Toward collective energy security’ the Global Forum on Energy Security conference promotes research and information exchanges on energy security among think tanks, government officials, diplomats and industry leaders. Hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) the Forum is a joint effort of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS), the United States Energy Security Council (USESC) and the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC). Since its inaugural conference in 2012, the Global Forum on Energy Security has become China’s premier international platform for deliberations on the changing global energy landscape and China’s role in global energy security.

“Gone with the wind: Upgrading North Africa’s Trade Wind-induced Phosphate Footprints into Carbon-free Fertilizers” presented at the World Wind Energy Conference, WWEC2017 in Malmö, Sweden June 12-14, 2017

The prospects for upgrading North Africa’s Phosphates into carbon-free fertilizers using wind energy as part of the phased deployment of the Sahara Wind project presented at the World Wind Energy Conference 2017. Held on the theme; Popular and Participatory Wind Power, the conference focused on how to contribute to the development of wind power with a mix of players working for the energy transformation.

“Scaling-up the access to the Atlantic Trade Winds : the Sahara Wind project” présenté à la Morocco Renewable Energy & Power Infrastructure Investor Conference 2017  le 25 Mai, à l'Hotel The View à Rabat, au Maroc.

Organisée sous la présidence de la COP22 du Maroc, cette conférence qui se déroulera sur une journée entière accueillera toutes les parties prenantes du secteur des énergies renouvelables et de l’efficacité énergétique au Maroc - le Ministère de l’Energie, MASEN, l’AMEE, l’ONEE, la SIE, IRESEN et beaucoup d’autres. L’accent sera mis largement sur le partenariat et le financement des projets. A ce titre, les Institutions Financières Internationales actives dans ce secteur au Maroc y participeront : IFC, World Bank, BERD, KfW, GIZ, UNDP, Banque Africaine de Développement, etc.

Sahara Wind at the INNOspace Masters “Space 4.0” ceremony in Berlin, May 17 2017.

The winners of the INNOspace Masters competition will be announced at the awards ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on 17 May 2017 in Berlin alongside a conference devoted to the competition’s theme, “Space 4.0”. The latest trends in technology transfer, innovative solutions and new business models will be presented by representatives from politics and business.

Sahara Wind at the Vienna Energy Forum 2017, May 10-12 2017.

With over 1650 participants from more than 100 countries, the Vienna Energy Forum focused on “Sustainable energy for the implementation of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement”. The High-level forum highlighted the linkages between climate and development, along with the importance of joint and integrated approaches to leverage their associated synergies upon implementation. To “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all“ the Paris Climate Agreement calls for an unprecedented global transformation process that extends far beyond the energy sector. Innovation is urgently needed to drive this transformative agenda.