How big is Heard Island & McDonald Islands?

The group's overall land area is 372 km 2 (144 sq mi) and it has 101.9 km (63 mi) of coastline. Discovered in the mid-19th century, the islands lie on the Kerguelen Plateau in the Indian Ocean and have been an Australian territory since 1947. Heard Island and McDonald Islands contain Australia's only two active volcanoes.

Where are Heard Island and McDonald Islands located?

The islands are a territory (Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands) of Australia administered from Hobart by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Is the Sahara a potential battery for Europe?

The Sahara has long been viewed as a potential battery for Europe, using CSP. In 2013, the €400bn Desertec project collapsed after the two advocates, Desertec Foundation and the Desertec Industrial Initiative, fell out, each accusing the other of poor communication. TuNur believes that now is the time for solar in the Sahara to finally take off.

Does Heard Island have a harbour?

Heard Island and the McDonald Islands have no ports or harbours; ships must anchor offshore. The coastline is 101.9 km (63.3 mi) in extent, and a 12 nmi (22 km) territorial sea and 200 nmi (370 km) exclusive fishing zone are claimed. [ 2 ]

How big is Heard Island?

Heard Island, by far the largest of the group, is a 368-square-kilometre (142 sq mi) mountainous island covered by 41 glaciers [ 22 ] (the island is 80% covered with ice [ 2 ]) and dominated by the Big Ben massif.

Could solar power be the Holy Grail of renewable power?

For years solar power projects in the Sahara have been talked about, hailed as a potential Holy Grail of renewable power. The Great Saharan Desert is more than 3.6 million square miles of dry, hot land, 1.2% of which could power the whole world, theoretically, if it were to be covered in solar PV.