Over the past week, there has been much fanfare and reporting on Spain’s surprising absence from the signing of the first Desertec project, leaving many to question if Spain was pulling out altogether from the project. Certainly, it was not the right move by Spain to simply not show up at the signing event, but it does not mean that the country is going to give up its role as a major player in North Africa’s, and arguably the world, most ambitious solar energy project.
A quick call to the Spanish authorities reveals that the government is dealing with the Eurozone crisis and does not have extra funds to be part of the initial phase of Morocco’s Desertec solar project, which aims to deliver renewable energy to Europe. The first Desertec project between the EU and Morocco is consequently under threat as Spain had been an instrumental partner in the project.
