Morocco to host first solar farm in €400bn renewables network

The vast solar and windfarm project across North Africa and the Middle East may provide 15% of Europe's electricity by 2050

Morocco has been chosen as the first location for a German-led, €400bn project to build a vast network of solar and windfarms across North Africa and the Middle East to provide 15% of Europe's electricity supply by 2050.

The Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII), a coalition of companies including E.ON, Siemens, Munich Re and Deutsche Bank, announced at its annual conference being held in Cairo on Wednesday that "all systems are go in Morocco", with construction of the first phase of a 500MW solar farm scheduled to start next year. The precise location of the €2bn plant is yet to be finalised, but it is expected to be built near the desert city of Ouarzazate. It will use parabolic mirrors to generate heat for conventional steam turbines, as opposed to the photovoltaic cells used in the UK.

The 12 square kilometre Moroccan solar farm will, said Paul van Son, Dii's chief executive, be a "reference project" to prove to investors and policy makers in both Europe and the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region that the Desertec vision is not a dream-like mirage, but one that can be a major source of renewable electricity in the decades ahead.

Van Son described Desertec as a "win-win" for both Europe and MENA, adding that the Arab spring had created both opportunities and "questions" for the ambitious project. Discussions are already underway with the Tunisian government about building a solar farm, he said, and Algeria is the next "obvious" country, due to its close proximity to western Europe's grid. Countries such as Libya, Egypt, Turkey, Syria and Saudi Arabia are predicted to start joining the network from 2020, as a network of high voltage direct current cables are built and extended across the wider region.

German companies and policymakers have dominated the Dii conference, reflecting the nation's recent decision to totally phase out nuclear power by 2022 in reaction, in part, to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March. By comparison, not a single representative from the UK was at the conference.

Jochen Homann, the state secretary at Germany's Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology, told the conference: "We undertook major reforms in German energy policy this summer and Desertec opens up an opportunity for us. We want to enter the age of renewables with sustainable sources of electricity supplying 80% of our power generation by 2050. As we accelerate our phase-out of nuclear power, we need to safeguard an affordable supply of electricity and we will be interested in importing renewables supplies in the future. Germany's government will continue to support Desertec. It is an inspiring vision which is good for foreign, climate and economic policies."

But Homann stressed there would be "pre-conditions" for guaranteeing long-term support from the Germany government. He said there must be "liberalisation" of the energy markets across the MENA region: "North Africa still provides huge subsidies for fossil fuels. There will need to be regulatory improvements. Only then will renewables be able to compete and a common market created. And other European states must participate, too."

Hassan Younes, Egypt's minister of electricity and energy, told the conference that Egypt was keen to participate and that it hoped to have a 1,000MW windfarm built by 2016 in the Gulf of Suez, adding to the 150MW "hybrid" gas-solar power plant that opened 100km south of Cairo earlier this year.

The conference was told via a Dii promotional video that the network of solar and windfarms across the MENA region would help to "halt migration" into Europe, by fast-tracking the rise of the region's youthful population out of poverty and unemployment.

The Desertec plan was welcomed by many in Germany, including chancellor Angela Merkel. However, some German critics argued that the concept of transmitting solar power from Africa to Europe was not proven and that a billion dollar project does not fit in to the country's green energy plan.

German development NGO Germanwatch raised concerns that local people should benefit from the scheme, though Desertec representatives said the energy generated will first be used by the people of north Africa before being exported. Andree Böhling, energy expert at Greenpeace Germany, said: "We have to avoid European companies getting their hands on local resources, therefore we will follow the project carefully."

• This article was amended on 3 November to remove an incorrect reference to Germanwatch and neocolonialism

Unrest in Morocco

Unrest in Morocco

At The Benefits Of Argan Oil for Hair

Natural Argan oil that originates from Morocco is widely known for its properties that makes it very valuable for skin and hair care. It is used as the primary ingredient for a lot of scalp and hair treatment products. It can also be found in some conditioning shampoos.

The health benefit of this oil that is from the Moroccan Argan tree has been known for several centuries. It can protect and repair hair that has suffered some damage. When it is applied constantly, its moisturising properties will enable your hair to become stronger, smoother and healthier.

The fame of this oil is far beyond word of mouth. Several laboratory examinations that were conducted in different countries have proven that it contains a lot of beneficial ingredients like vitamins E, F and A. It also has antioxidants, linoleic acid, fatty acids, and carotene… Its popularly used for the treatment of skin ailments such as wrinkles and eczema. It can also be found in use at several spas for facial care and massage.

The antioxidant ability of this oil makes it possible for it to protect hair from destructive Ultraviolet rays from the sun. The vitamins that it contains also provide you with further benefits. Some examples are vitamin A and E that helps you to have strong and healthy hair.

The scalp is kept healthy and properly nourished by the moisturizing component of the oil. Protection from dandruff can be obtained by applying a few drops on top of your scalp everyday. Rub it in properly to get the best effect.

Argan oil has a lot of health benefits for damaged hair. It can help you to bring back the natural shine and stimulate healthy growth. It has a very good smell and is quickly absorbed. The demand for this oil will continue to increase because of the restorative properties that it has.

Before you buy anything online, make sure you check Bioargan Moroccan Argan Oil, and learn all there is to learn about Argan Oil. To learn more about Argan Oil visit arganiatree.

Argan Oil for Smoother Skin?

In recent years, argan oil has gained popularity as a natural skin-soother. Packed with healthy fats, the antioxidant-rich oil is said to shield skin from the effects of aging. Some proponents claim that argan oil can also help treat skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Sourced from a tree native to Morocco, argan oil has long been used in skin care by Moroccans. But while a number of beauty companies around the world now use argan oil as a key ingredient in skin-care products, few studies have tested argan oil's effects on the skin.

There's some evidence that consumption of argan oil may offer certain health benefits. For instance, findings from animal-based research suggest that taking argan oil orally may fight insulin resistance and lower blood pressure. Since little is known about the safety of consuming argan oil, it's important to consult your doctor if you're considering the use of argan oil for any health condition.

Having Skin Rash or Eczema? Think about Argan Oil

On the lookout for the perfect resolution for your skin, no matter if it really is just as a moisturizer or to get rid of skin issues for instance Eczema? Then you’ve identified the appropriate post since we’re going to reveal several of the numerous benefits you may get with particular oil, also referred to as Liquid Gold.

There can be numerous causes why you might be on the lookout for excellent oil, that will add plenty of benefits to your skin, for instance vitamins and minerals, but also the critical antioxidants so you may fight wrinkles acne and what else that could possibly irritate you. In regards to selecting the appropriate oil for your skin it really is highly critical to make sure it really is of the purest good quality, else you might finish up with the opposite impact since dirt is becoming rubbed into your skin. In regards to selecting the product, there’s one brand that’s different from all the others. The name is Bioargan a 100% pure organic oil that derives from the Argan trees in Morocco.

Argan oil for skin is the perfect resolution in case you are on the lookout for something to soften up your skin and maintain it health. But also in case you are struggling having a small bit too numerous wrinkles or other fine lines within your skin you would like to obtain rid of. The brilliant portion is you may either use it as a daily moisturizer, or use it within the shower to soften up your skin. There are so many Argan oil benefits that this is one of these remedies you just have around within your house, and when a skin dilemma or issue arise, you just use the Argan oil either to obtain rid of the issue for instance skin rash, acne or eczema, or just to spoil oneself and moisturize your skin.

Facial lines and Acne breakouts are one dilemma Argan oil can sort out, but men and women who are suffering from skin disorders by way of example Skin psoriasis could possibly get plenty of relief utilizing Argan oils like Bioargan regularly. For those who had been transporting an infant and encounter stretch marks or possibly butt, then this is truly the oil to make use of.

Argan oil for skin is mentioned to own anti-aging abilities dues for the big amounts of anti-oxidants that are included within the oil. Anti-oxidants possess the impact of eliminating the dangerous and hazardous dangerous toxins that reduces skin tissue and cells. So you can discover definitely numerous Argan oil benefits applying this liquid of gold oil.

UN Report Finds $1.6 Trillion May Have Been Laundered In 2009

By Samuel Rubenfeld

A study of studies by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that about $1.6 trillion was laundered in 2009.

The study, released Tuesday in Marrakesh, Morocco, where a U.N. Convention Against Corruption conference is being held all week, said its figures — that laundered funds constituted around 2.7% of global gross domestic product — were largely consistent with those released in 1998 by the International Monetary Fund, which said there was a “consensus range” of  2% and 5%.

More alarming, however, was that the UNODC found less than 1% of global illicit financial flows were being seized and frozen.

“Tracking the flows of illicit funds generated by drug trafficking and organized crime and analyzing how they are laundered through the world’s financial systems remain daunting tasks,” said Yury Fedotov, executive director of the UNODC, in a statement.

The 140-page report warned, however, there is no “gold standard” for estimating the extent of money laundering, because all methodologies have various biases and information gaps.

The most profitable form of transnational organized crime is the drug trade, which accounts for about one-fifth of all crime proceeds, the report said. Taken together, all proceeds of crime save for tax evasion reached $2.1 trillion in 2009.

The report focused on the cocaine market, which it said was probably the most lucrative illicit drug for transnational criminal groups. It found that gross profits for the drug were around $84 billion in 2009.

Another report issued this week by the UNODC, though this one jointly with the World Bank, examined the legal ways in which criminal funds can be hidden in the global financial system.

The report, called “Puppet Masters,” (pdf) showed how bribes, embezzled state assets and other corrupt funds are hidden in shell companies, trusts and other legal means. It recommended that more detailed information on beneficial ownership be held in corporate registries, and those who provide any sort of service to legal entities do better due diligence on controlling interests.

“We need to put corporate transparency back on the national and international agenda,” said Emile van der Does de Willebois, a World Bank specialist who led the StAR research team, in a statement. “It is important for governments to increase the transparency of their legal entities and arrangements and at the same time improve the capacity of law enforcement.”