Covering a patch of North Africa’s Sahara desert in solar panels could provide an abundance of clean renewable energy for the world, a new analysis argues. A vast sunlight-powered installation could help humanity meet its targets for reducing carbon emissions and avoiding a climate disaster, but it would face a number of real-world issues before getting off the ground.

This is according to Amin Al-Habaibeh, a professor at Nottingham Trent University that has researched the idea, writing in an article published on The Conversation Thursday. According to his estimates, if all the sunlight hitting the desert was converted into electricity, it would provide 7,000 times more power than Europe’s total energy demand.

“Just a small portion of the Sahara could produce as much energy as the entire continent of Africa does at present,” Al-Habaibeh said. “As solar technology improves, things will only get cheaper and more efficient. The Sahara may be inhospitable for most plants and animals, but it could bring sustainable energy to life across North Africa — and beyond.”

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