Desertec Industrial Initiative taps CSP expert Ranier Aringhoff as new COO

Ranier Aringhoff has been appointed as chief operating officer and management board member of the Desertec Industrial Initiative joint venture. He will be responsible for the conceptual preparation and planning of reference projects.

Aringhoff previously worked as president of Solar Millennium in Berkeley, CA, where he headed the company’s concentrated solar power (CSP) project development in the U.S. As president of the project companies, he headed the project development of the Andasol power plants in southern Spain, Europe’s first commercial parabolic trough plants. He also has comprehensive experience in project development and energy consulting and has worked, among other locations, in Greece, Jordan, and Morocco.

Paul van Son, CEO of Dii, noted how Rainer’s “outstanding track record in the field of solar thermal power plants will be very important for Dii’s reference projects. The aim of these projects is to integrate all relevant aspects of Desertec in a systematically developed environment.”

“They shall provide renewable energy from sun and wind for local supply and for transport from MENA [Mediterranean Europe North Africa] to Europe,” he continued. “Our intention is to use all relevant and field-proven technologies for power generation and transmission in order to gather important findings for a long-term roll-out plan for Desertec. The development and integration of local industries will also play an important role.”