Sometimes it can be difficult to see the good in large corporations that tend to overrun society with their money-making schemes. Often thriving with a complete disregard for the “little people” or the world’s health in general, it can be rare to find a corporation will to step up in order to make a difference in this little planet we all call home.

But not in Algeria. Cevital, one of Algeria’s largest private companies has been planning to build a massive solar panel complex to export renewable energy to Europe. Talk about making the most of the Sahara desert. With a price tag of $8 billion and generating “about the same as a mid-sized nuclear power station in the United States” (Ahmed, 2010) this would be no small project.

To date, “many such internationally funded projects are under way in countries such as Morocco, [but] the Algerian government itself is averse to encouraging such foreign invested projects in the country. This is primarily because the country wishes to nurture and enhance indigenous projects” (Industrial Info Resources , 2012). The government has made statements indicating that it does not want foreign countries exploiting Algeria’s solar energy and is “only interested if local firms play a central role” (Ahmed, 2010). Cevital fits in with this by aiming to supply North Africa with a large portion of its energy needs and have many components made locally.

So – with that all said, there is hope in some large corporations after all. Maybe some aren’t so money-hungry that they are unable to see the needs of their own country or the needs of the world for that matter. To be able to develop a project that essentially benefits everyone (including themselves, of course) can be a rare thing to see.

That being said, all news of Cevital’s solar power project seems to have ceased in the internet world for the moment. Last words were written in June of 2010 and it is unclear as to what developments (if any) have come since then. Being an $8 billion dollar project, it is understandable that it may take some time for anything significant to come of the initial plan. Some might say it’s the thought that counts, but I wonder if when it comes to environmental issues and ideas on how to move forward in the realm of renewable energy – thoughts are merely just that. Thoughts.

Bibliography

Ahmed, H. O. (2010, May 30). Algeria’s Cevital plans $8bln solar energy project. Retrieved January 11, 2012, from Global Good News: http://www.globalgoodnews.com/business-news-a.html?art=127518691214509990

Industrial Info Resources . (2012, June). Cevital looks to enter solar power business . Retrieved January 11, 2012, from The Electricity Forum: http://www.electricityforum.com/news/jun10/Algeriancompanylookstoentersolarmarket.html

Info Please. (2005). Algeria. Retrieved January 11, 2012, from Info Please: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107272.html

Sandru, M. (2010, May 30). Cevital Planning to Build $8 Billion Solar Power Complex in Sunny Algeria. Retrieved January 11, 2012, from The Green Optimistic: http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2010/05/30/cevital-algeria-solar-power-complex/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGreenOptimistic+%28The+Green+Optimistic%29