Morocco poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project

Morocco poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project


Ouarzazate solar plant will create enough electricity to power a million homes once it is
finished. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
he Moroccan city of Ouarzazate is used to big productions. On the edge of the Sahara
desert and the centre Of the north African country's "Ouallywood" film industry it has
played host to big-budget location shots in Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, The Living
Daylights and even Game of Thrones.

Now the trading city, nicknamed the "door of the desert", is the centre for another
blockbuster — a complex Of four linked solar mega plants that, alongside hydro and wind,
will help provide nearly half of Morocco's electricity from renewables by 2020 with, it is
hoped, some spare to export to Europe. The project is a key plank in Morocco's ambitions
to use its untapped deserts to become a global solar superpower.
The Ksar Of Ait-Ben-Haddou, a group Of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls, is
the set of numerous movies. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
When the full complex is complete, it will be the largest concentrated solar power (CSP)
plantLll in the world , and the first phase, called Noor 1, will go live next month. The
mirror technology it uses is less widespread and more expensive than the photovoltaic
panels that are now familiar on roofs the world over, but it will have the advantage of
being able to continue producing power even after the sun goes down.

The potential for solar power from the desert has been known for decades. In the days
after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 the German particle physicist Gerhard
Knies, calculated that the world's deserts receive enough energy in a few hours to provide
for humanity's power needs for a whole year. The challenge though, has been
capturing that energy and transporting it to the population centres where it is required.
As engineers put the finishing touches to Noor 1, its 500,000 crescent-shaped solar
mirrors glitter across the desert skyline. The 800 rowsfollow the sun as it tracks across
the heavens, whirring quietly every few minutes as their shadows slip further east.
When they are finished, the four plants at Ouarzazate will occupy a space as big as
Morocco's capital city, Rabat, and generate 580MW of electricity, enough to power a
million homes. Noor 1 itself has a generating capacity of 160MW.
Morocco's environment minister, Hakima el-Haite, believes that solar energy could have
the same impact on the region this century that Oil production had in the last. But the
$9bn (E6bn) project to make her country's deserts boom was triggered by more
immediate concerns, she said.

"We are not an oil producer. We import 94% of our energy as fossil fuels from abroad and
that has big consequences for our state budget," el Haite told the Guardian. "We also
used to subsidise fossil fuels which have a heavy cost, so when we heard about the
potential of solar energy, we thought; why not?"
Solar energy will make up a third of Morocco's renewable energy supply by 2020, with
wind and hydro taking the same share each.
"We are very proud of this project," el-Haite said. "I think it is the most important solar
plant in the world."
Each parabolic mirror is 12 metres high and focussed on a steel pipeline carrying a 'heat
transfer solution' (HTF) that is warmed to 393C as it snakes along the trough before
coiling into a heat engine. There, it is mixed with water to create steam that turns
energy-generating turbines.

The HTF is made up Of a synthetic thermal Oil solution that is pumped towards a heat
tank containing molten sands that can store heat energy(31 for three hours, allowing the
plant to power homes into the night.The mirrors are spaced in tier formations, to
minimise damage from sand blown up by desert winds.
The 12 metre-high parabolic mirrors. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
Technicians say that the Noor 2 and 3 plants, due to open in 2017 will store energy for up
to eight hours — opening the prospect of 24/7 solar energy in the Sahara, and the
surrounding region.

"The biggest challenge we faced was being able to finish the project on time with the
performance Ilevell we needed to achieve," said Rashid al-Bayad, the project director.
But even as the first phase Of the project nears completion, Morocco is eyeing grander
international ambitions. "We are already involved in high tension transportation lines to
cover the full south Of Morocco(41 and Mauritania as a first Step," says Ahmed Baroudi,
manager of Société d'lnvestissements Energétiques, the national renewable energy
investment firm. But he says the project's ultimate impact will go far wider — even as far
as the Middle East. "The (ultimatel objective given by his majesty the king is Mecca."
Whether that ambition is achieved remains to be seen but exporting solar energy could
have stabilising effects within and between countries, according to the Moroccan solar
energy agency (Masen). Talks are ongoing with Tunisia, and energy exports northwards
across the Mediterranean remain a key goal, despite the collapse in 2013 of the Desertec
project151, a German plan to source 15% Of Europe's energy from North African desert
solar by 2050.

"We believe that it's possible to export energy to Europe but first we would have to build
the interconnectors which don't yet exist," said Maha el-Kadiri, a Masen spokeswoman.
"Specifically, we would have to build interconnections, which would not go through the
existing one in Spain, and then start exporting."
Spain has itself prohibited new solar projects because of a lack of interconnectors to
transmit the energy to France. The EU has set a target (61 Of ensuring that 10% Of each
member country's power can be transported abroad by cable by 2020.
In the meantime, Morocco is focused on using solar to meet its own needs for resource
independence. This could one day include water desalination, in a country that is
increasingly being hit by drought as the climate warms. Officials are keenly aware Of the
running they are making in what is the most advanced renewable energy programme in
the Middle East and North African region.

"We are at the avante-garde of solar," el-Kadiri says.
About S9bn has been invested in the Noor complex, much of it from international
institutions such as the European Investment Bank and World Bank and backed by
Moroccan government guarantees. Undisclosed energy subsidies from Morocco's
unelected ruler, King Mohammed VI, have prevented the cost from being transferred to
energy consumers.

60 second climate fix. Can the sun cool down the Earth?
One month before launch, over a thousand mostly Moroccan workers are still racing to
fix electric wires, take down scaffolding and wrap rockwool insulation around steel
pipelines. They bustle past in yellow and orange bibs, working 12-hour shifts against a
backdrop Of the Atlas mountains. Harnesses with hammers and gloves strapped to their
belts swing by their sides. Ubiquitous hard hats, safety shoes and ear plugs give the scene
an air of theatrical camp.
For Hajar Lakhael, a 25-year-old environment and security manager from Meknes,
rehearsals are almost over and the blockbuster production is nearly ready for action.
"We've done the construction and now we will see how these projects look when they
start," she says. "It is exactly like the preparation for a grand performance."
A global audience will be watching with interest.

Response: The potential for solar power in North Africa (as stated in the article) has been known for years; however, Morocco's decision to act on it is supported internationally. Both the European Investment Bank and the World Bank are backing up the Moroccan government as they build the first model of their potential solar superpower. The economic effects of this plant would be incredible. As stated in the article, the amount of energy that can be collected in only one day is enough to provide power for millions of people. This has the potential to be a multimillion dollar project that changes the economy of not only Morocco, but multiple North African countries. The author of this article obviously supports the Moroccan government and its recent exploits. The author also seems to support the international involvement of the two banks mentioned above.

Citation: Neslen, Arthur. "Morocco poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project." 26 Oct. 2015. The Gaurdian News and Media Limited. 26 Oct. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/26/morocco-poised-to-become-a-solar-superpower-with-launch-of-desert-mega-project> 

Canada to end airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, new prime minister Trudeau says

Canada to end airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, new prime minister Trudeau says


In first press conference after election victory, Justin Trudeau says Canadian fighter jets
will withdraw from US mission against Islamic State
Canadian Liberal prime minister designate Justin Trudeau has confirmed that Canada
will withdraw its fighter jets from the US-led mission against Islamic State in Iraq and
Syria.In his first news conference following the sweeping majority Liberal victory in Canada's
federal election, the visibly fatigued leader said he had spoken with US president Barack
Obama in a phone call during which he discussed his intention to pull Canada's fighter
jets out of the anti-Isis campaign.


"I committed that we would continue to engage in a responsible way that understands
how important Canada's role is to play in the fight against Isil, but he understands the
commitments 've made about ending the combat mission," Trudeau said.
He did not set out a timeline for the withdrawal. Canada currently has six CF-18 fighter
jets taking part in the US-led bombing campaign. They were due to remain in the
region until March 2016.
Canada has also deployed around 70 special forces troops to train Kurds in northern
Iraq, although Trudeau has previously indicated that this mission would continue.
The White House in a statement said: "The two leaders agreed on the importance Of
deepening the already strong United States-Canada relationship and committed to
strengthening the countries' joint efforts to promote trade,combat terrorism, and
mitigate climate change."

Trudeau has said he would work to improve Canada-US relations, which he claims
became frosty under Harper. But speaking at a rally in Ottawa earlier on Tuesday, he
stressed that he wanted to see a shift in Canada's foreign policy. "I want to say this to this country's friends around the world: Many Of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in the world over the past 10 years.

"Well, I have a simple message for you on behalf of 35 million Canadians. We're back."
In his first day as prime minister designate, Trudeau also announced that he and his new
cabinet — which will be 50/50 male/female — would be sworn in on 4 November, as he
moves forward on an ambitious policy agenda. "I'm very, very aware Of both the opportunity and the responsibility that we have to live up to, having put forward a strong vision for growth, for unity, for positivity in this country," Trudeau said. "We now get to start working on delivering that."

In his conversation with Obama, the two political leaders also touched on the Trans
Pacific Partnership trade deal, climate policies, and the imminent American decision on
the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project, which Trudeau supports.
Trudeau described it as a ' 'warm conversation" that also touched on the struggles Of
balancing political power and parenthood, since both men have young children.
Obama "also teased me about my lack of grey hair, but said I'd probably get some quite
soon", Trudeau joked.

The new leader also spoke with UK prime minister David Cameron and French president
Francois Hollande. The son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau won a surprise majority in Monday's national election, a victory that launched the party from a decade in opposition back
into power. It was also a sound defeat for outgoing Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper161,
who has been in power since 2006.

Trudeau's news conference came at the end of a jam-packed first day for the prime
minister-in-waiting, which began with him surprising morning commuters at metro
station in his home riding in Montreal, snapping selfies with constituents.
By afternoon he was back in Ottawa, the Canadian capital, for a rally with supporters.
Journalists pressed him for details and timelines for implementing campaign promises,
including launching an inquiry into Canada's missing and murdered indigenous women
and tackling reforms to Canada's scandal-plagued Senate.
But he offered few firm commitments, noting he would be juggling the responsibilities of
putting together a new cabinet and ensuring a smooth transition of power with a packed
international agenda.

"twel will be moving forward with our campaign commitments in a responsible fashion —
we want to be sure the transition is done in an orderly fashion," he said.
He will attend the upcoming COP21 climate change summit in Paris in late November
and hopes to attend the G20 meeting in Turkey and the APEC summit in the Philippines,
also both next month .


Response: The beginning of this article started started out talking about how Canada is withdrawing their missiles from those with the U.S and not participating in the air strike against Syria. However, despite the title of this article, it is not an informatory article about the placement of Canadian missiles, rather an article promoting the new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. It goes into length on his doings, his new cabinet, the decisions he is making, and the level of hard work is he is putting towards his country. The whole purpose of this article is to promote Trudeau.  This article also touches on the relationship between Obama and Trudeau. Even though Trudeau is ending his involvement in the airstrikes against Syria, his relationship with Obama seems to be warm and friendly. While this article lacked a certain cohesiveness, it was informative and did accomplish its purpose, putting Trudeau in a wonderful light.


Citation:  Murphy, Jessica. “Canada to end airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, new prime minister Trudeau says.” 21 Oct. 2015. Guardian News and Media. 21 Oct. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/21/canada-end-airstrikes-syria-iraq-new-prime-minister-trudeau>

Doctors without borders demand independent investigation after hospital bombed in Afghanistan

'They were burning in their beds'


THE United States is accused of bombing a hospital run by Doctors Without
Borders, leaving 22 dead, as staff describe the "unspeakable" horror of seeing
patients burning in their beds and their colleagues killed.
The US and Afghan governments vowed Sunday to jointly investigate the attack on a
hospital in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, amid accusations that US jet fighters
were responsible for what Doctors Without Borders said was a "sustained bombing" of
their trauma centre. Some top US officials said the circumstances surrounding the incident remain murky, but others indicated the US may have been responsible for the attack which killed 12 staff
and 10 patients including three children.

Army Colonel Brian Tribus, a spokesman for American forces in Afghanistan, said
Saturday that a US air strike "in the Kunduz vicinity" about 2.1 Sam Saturday morning
"may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility."
US officials speaking on condition Of anonymity said American special operations forces
advising Afghan commandos in the vicinity of the hospital requested the air support
when they came under fire in Kunduz. The officials said the AC-130 gunship responded
and fired on the area, but US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said it's not certain yet
whether that was what destroyed the hospital.

Meinie Nicolai, president of Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans
Frontieres (MSF), has described the attack as an abhorrent and grave violation Of
International Humanitarian Law. "We demand total transparency from Coalition forces. We cannot accept that this horrific loss of life will simply be dismissed as 'collateral damage'
The organisation says that the main central hospital building, housing the intensive care
unit, emergency rooms, and physiotherapy ward, was hit very precisely by a series Of
aerial bombing raids at approximately 15 minute intervals, while surrounding buildings
were left mostly untouched.

According to MSF , pro-Government forces had been informed of the precise location of
the medical facilities. Afghan guards stand at the gate of the MSF hospital after an air strike in the city of The trauma centre on fire. Afghan officials said helicopter gunships returned fire from Taliban fighters who were hiding in the hospital, and AP video footage Of the burned out compound in the east of Kunduz city shows automatic weapons, including rifles and at least one machine gun, on
windowsills.

But MSF communications manager Kate Stegeman said there were no insurgents in the
facility at the time Of the bombing. MSF general director Christopher Stokes said the statement from the Afghanistan government amounts to an admission Of a war crime, and contradicts the initial attempts of the US government to minimise the attack as "collateral damage".
"MSF is disgusted by the recent statements coming from some Afghanistan government
authorities justifying the attack on its hospital in Kunduz. These statements imply that
Afghan and US forces working together decided to raze to the ground a fully functioning hospital — with more than 180 staff and patients inside — because they claim that
members of the Taliban were present." The organisation is demanding an independent investigation and may not be satisfied with an inquiry conducted by the US and Afghan governments.
"Relying only on an internal investigation by a party to the conflict would be wholly
insufficient," Stokes said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein also called for a swift,
full and transparent investigation. "The seriousness of the incident is underlined by the fact that, depending on circumstances, an air strike on a hospital may amount to a war crime," Zeid said.
"International and Afghan military planners have an obligation to respect and protect
civilians at all times, and medical facilities and personnel are the Object Of a special
protection. These obligations apply no matter whose air force is involved, and
irrespective of the location."

Since fighting broke out on Monday, MSF had treated 394 wounded. At the time of the
aerial attack there were 105 patients and their caretakers in the hospital, along with more
than 80 international and national MSF staff. MSF's hospital was the only facility Of its kind in the north-eastern region of Afghanistan. For four years it provided free high level life- and limb-saving trauma care. In 2014, more than 22,000 patients received care at the hospital and more than 5,900
surgeries were performed. MSF treats all people according to their medical needs and
does not make any distinctions based on a patient's ethnicity, religious beliefs or
political affiliation.Afghan security forces take a wounded civilian man to the hospital after Taliban fighter's attack.

WE SAW OUR COLLEAGUES DYING

MSF nurse Lajos Zoltan Jecs was in Kunduz trauma hospital when the facility was hit by
the aerial bombing raids and said he was woken by the sound Of a big explosion.
"What we saw was the hospital destroyed, burning. I don't know what I felt — just
shock," he said in a statement. "We tried to take a 100k into one Of the burning buildings. I cannot describe what was inside. There are no words for how terrible it was. In the Intensive Care Unit six patients were burning in their beds. "

He said urgent surgery was performed on one of the doctors but he could not be saved,
"unfortunately he died there on the Office table". "The whole situation was very hard. We saw our colleagues dying. Our pharmacist — I was just talking to him last night and planning the stocks, and then he died there in our office."  Surgeons work inside the MSF hospital after an air strike in the city of Kunduz. "Some of my colleagues were in too much shock, crying and crying. I tried to encourage
some of the staff to help, to give them something to concentrate on, to take their minds
off the horror. "But some were just too shocked to do anything Seeing adult men, your friends, crying uncontrollably — that is not easy."

He said he has been working there since May and had seen a lot Of heavy medical
situations but it was a different story seeing colleagues and friends impacted.
"These are people who had been working hard for months, non-stop for the past week.
They had not gone home, they had not seen their families, they had just been working in
the hospital to help people and now they are dead. These people are friends, close
friends. I have no words to express this. It is unspeakable. "How can this happen? What is the benefit Of this? Destroying a hospital and so many
lives, for nothing. I cannot find words for this."

'WE WILL GET THE FACTS'

US President Barack Obama said he expected a full accounting Of the circumstances
surrounding the bombing, and that he would wait for those results before making a
judgment. He said the US would continue working with Afghanistan's government and its
overseas partners to promote security in Afghanistan.
US officials who spoke to AP were not authorised to discuss the incident publicly. They
also said the senior US military investigator is in Kunduz but hasn't yet been able to get
to the site because it continues to be a contested area between the Afghans and the
Taliban militants. Carter, speaking to reporters travelling with him on a trip to Spain, said, "The situation there is confused and complicated, so it may take some time to get the facts, but we will
get the facts." Carter said he believes the US will have better information in the coming days, once US and international investigators get access to the hospital site.
Doctors Without Borders issued a statement saying that "all indications" were that the
international coalition was responsible for the early Saturday morning bombing. While
NATO maintains a significant military role in Afghanistan, air strikes are conducted by
US forces It earlier said that three Of the dead were children in the intensive care unit. The charity
also announced it was withdrawing from Kunduz.
"All critical patients have been referred to other health facilities and no MSF staff are
working in our hospital," Stegeman said.
"Some of our medical staff have gone to work in two hospitals where some of the
wounded have been taken," she added

GROWING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

Meanwhile, street-by street battles continued between government forces and Taliban
fighters and officials warned of a looming humanitarian crisis for civilians trapped in the
city. The Taliban briefly seized Kunduz last week before the government launched a
counteroffensive, and sporadic battles continue as troops attempt to clear remaining
pockets of militants. Shops are shuttered because of ongoing fighting and roads made impassable by mines planted by insurgents.

Thousands of civilian residents remain trapped inside the disputed city Militants
blocked and mined roads as soon as they entered Kunduz to prevent people from leaving
and to thwart a government assault. Local television showed live footage of police
officers handing bread to children, one of whom said he had not eaten for three days.
The deputy head Of the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority, Aslam Sayas,
said he was aware of the growing humanitarian crisis inside Kunduz.
"We are waiting for the security situation to improve to give us an opportunity to reach
those needy people," he said. Afghan security forces inspect the site of a US air strike in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, An Afghan soldier raises his hands as a victory sign, in Kunduz city, north Of Kabul,
Afghanistan on Friday.

Saad Mukhar, the Kunduz provincial public health director, estimates that more than 70
people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in the city since the fighting began.
"I'm afraid that if this situation continues, we will not be able to help our patients
because right now we are facing a serious, drastic shortage Of medicine," he said.
The Taliban's brief seizure of Kunduz marked the insurgent group's biggest foray into a
major urban area since the 2001 US-Ied invasion ended their rule.
Afghan forces have been struggling to combat the Taliban since the US and NATO shifted
to a support and training role at the end of last year, officially ending their combat
mission in the war-torn country.

Acting provincial Gov. Hamidullah Danishi said most of the insurgents had fled the cityand that those still standing their ground appeared to be what he called "foreigners,"
non-Afghans who have been boosting Taliban forces in the north Of the country for some
months. Officials have said that many of them are from Central Asian states, members of
the Islamic Movement Of Uzbekistan.
Danishi said that 480 Taliban fighters had been killed as Of Friday, and around 300
wounded. He put casualties among Afghan security forces at between 30 and 35 killed or
wounded.



Response: In this article it is reporting the bombing of a hospital in Afghanistan allegedly by the U.S. This bombing was claimed to happen because Taliban militants were claimed to be seen inside the building. The director of MSF is requesting an independent investigation (excluding the Afghan and U.S governments) so that nothing can be hidden. The author of this article is trying to get the reader to sympathize with the hospital workers as well as the civilians living in Afghanistan. He did this by using multiple witness testimonies throughout the article, as well as vividly described the situation that the Afghan civilians are living in. He also used statistics and numbers of deaths in the bombing and how many people the hospital had saved in the past year to create a picture of the unnecessary devastation done to these people. The town where the hospital is located is continually riddled with fighting and warfare, and the civilians cannot leave the town due to landmines planted in the roads. The biggest issue with this situation is the vague answers that the U.S government is giving MSF and if the bombing was purposeful is would be classified as a war crime. From the information given, I agree with the author in that  the hospital seems to be purposefully targeted (one witness claims the other building around the hospital had minimal damage done) which I would consider morally wrong because of the fact that they killed innocent people and targeting hospitals is against the laws set out by the Geneva Convention.

 

Citation: "Doctors without Borders demand independent investigation after hospital bombed in Afghanistan." 5 Oct. 2015. News Limited. 5 Oct. 2015. <http://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/doctors-without-borders-demand-independent-investigation-after-hospital-bombed-in-afghanistan/story-fnh81ifq-1227557305679>