The solar cell park "Nour" in the Moroccan desert is so large that it can be seen from space.

Stepping around among the giant mirrors that aimed their rays at a tower, was reminiscent of a science fiction movie.

Morocco is on its way to becoming a green superpower and via cables under the Mediterranean, it supplies Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom with green electricity.

If we were to build eight percent of the Sahara's desert with solar cells, it could supply the entire world's energy needs. 

Local electricity networks - a future

The Orkney Islands produce 130 percent of their energy needs using green energy sources.

There are local smart grids, where a hundred electric cars can communicate with the owners' homes and service a washing machine or computer that needs electricity.   

Such solutions are of interest to countries in Africa, among others, which do not expect to build national power grids but instead smart local electricity grids with solar and hydrogen gas as power sources. 

The coolest were the huge tidal power plants that harvest electricity day and night from the regular tidal flows.

There I felt that the future became visible.

The sea is a giant energy battery that can provide us with all the electricity we need.

Wave power plants, offshore wind power and tidal power plants will be connected to power cables on the seabed and then led up to land.


In Germany, which is leading the wind power revolution, huge parks are already at sea.

With the wallet as an incentive

Neighboring country Norway has come a long way in electrifying its car fleet.

In a year, new car sales in Norway will be up to 100 percent corded cars.

My colleague, the tech correspondent Alexander Norén says that what amazed him when he went to Norway to get the explanation for the electric car boom there was how strong the economic incentives are, that for many it is a wallet issue to dump the fossil car. 

But when he went to the United States to see how far the breakthrough for fossil fuels is, he discovered that there were no financial incentives to choose fossil-free aviation fuel.

There you now have to pay double for the ticket in the beginning.

The fuel is about 4-5 times more expensive if you are going to fly with a green conscience.

Who decides to lead that development and thus pass the word "flying shame" to the rubbish chamber of history? 

Energy freedom and security

Both the American researchers in Alexander's report and the green entrepreneurs I met in the Orkney Islands say the same thing;

only on the day that politicians decide to fully tax carbon dioxide emissions can the green energy sources compete on equal terms. 

Achieving "energy freedom" from Russia is high on most European countries' wish lists.

Therefore, many were amazed at how to put an extra "jacket" in the form of an extra facade on the high-rise buildings of the million programs to insulate them better.

In the Netherlands, large investments are being made in energy efficiency in the "Energy Leap" project, which has reduced the electricity bill by seventy percent for tenants.

Solar cells on the roof help.

Do not press the pause button

Maybe the green transition will be accelerated now that it is not only about the climate but also about the security of countries?

But it will not happen by itself.

In several places, the green transition has been paused and fossil fuels are making a comeback.

Coal mines are kept open longer than planned and natural gas from the United States crosses the Atlantic in growing currents.  

But we at SVT continue to scout - and soon Alexander's report on smart grids will come in Austin, Texas.

Continue to follow our search for the Climate Solutions and feel free to tip!



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