The potential for solar energy generation in desert-belt countries has long been recognized. In Europe our focus has mainly been on North Africa but the technology and investment required to transmit the energy across such large distances has been, until recently, perceived to be prohibitive.

Nur Energie is a multi technology solar power plant developer focused on Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. In Tunisia Nur Energie is developing one of the World’s first utility-scale solar export projects. It involves the Construction and operation of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants with a capacity of up to 2GW in the Kebili Governorate and a 2GW HVDC on land and sub-marine cable from Tunisia to Italy from where it can be exported to other European countries. The project conforms to the DESERTEC principles of benefitting the local environment and economy as well.

Kevin Sara is a physicist, who worked the early part of his career as a management consultant with McKinsey, investment banking with Salomon Brothers (now Citigroup) and Nomura International with particular expertise in emerging technologies. More recently he has undertaken a PhD in Energy Policy at Imperial College and founded Hazel Capital, a clean-tech investment management company. Born in Germany, he grew up in Belgium, gained his BA in the USA and an MBA from the Ecole National des Ponts et Chaussees in France.