MUNICH, Germany, July 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Internationally renowned experts from science, politics and business life are forming an advisory board for Dii, the industry initiative that aims at creating the framework for generating sustainable and climate-friendly power in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, supplying carbon-free energy to the producer nations and to Europe. The Dii advisory board will be chaired by Professor Hans Müller-Steinhagen, Director of the Institute of Technical Thermodynamics at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The other members of the advisory board are as follows:

- Mr. Abdelkrim Benghanem (Algeria), former CEO of Algerian state-utility Sonelgaz - Mr. Driss Benhima (Morocco), CEO of Royal Air Maroc and former CEO of Moroccan state-utility ONE - Professor Louis Lemkow (Spain), Director of the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona - Philippe Lorec (France), Ministry of Ecology, Energy and Sustainable Development and representative for the Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP) - Professor Elmar Wagner (Germany, General Secretary of the Dii advisory board), Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement (IPM).

Paul van Son, CEO of the Dii: In the coming years, our initiative will have to answer a variety of specific questions regarding the development of renewable energies, the implementation of appropriate transmission grids or the establishment of efficient energy markets. Therefore, it is of greatest importance for us to be able to build upon the expertise of these high-level capacities.

Other recent developments: - Launched in 2009, Dii currently consists of 17 shareholders from seven countries. Further companies from North Africa and Southern Europe intend to join the industry initiative in the near future. - Additionally, 21 companies support Dii as Associated Partners. Audi, Bearing Point, Concentrix Solar, Conergy, Maurisolaire and TÜV Süd have recently joined the company network. - In recent months, Paul van Son and other Dii representatives had encouraging talks with a variety of ministers and government representatives from North Africa (including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt). Together they discussed the possibilities of renewable power generation for local demand as well as export to the European Union. - Later in July, Dii-CEO Paul van Son will accompany Mr. Dirk Niebel, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, on his journey to Egypt. - Dii is looking forward to working together with Transgreen, an industry consortium launched this week with the aim of pursuing plans for a trans-mediterranean power grid. Dii-CEO Paul van Son: The issue of power transmission from North Africa to the European markets is also one of the crucial elements for the success of our initiative. This is why we welcome the foundation of Transgreen.

About Dii (http://www.dii-eumena.com):

Dii is an international initiative which was launched as 'Desertec Industrial Initiative' in July 2009. On 30 October 2009, Dii was legally founded under German law as a GmbH (limited liability company). The company is located in Munich. Our shareholders (as of May 2010):

ABB | Abengoa Solar | Cevital | DESERTEC Foundation | Deutsche Bank | Enel Green Power | E.ON HSH Nordbank | MAN Solar Millennium | Munich Re | M+W Group | NAREVA Holding Red Eléctrica de España | RWE |Saint-Gobain Solar | SCHOTT Solar | Siemens

Contact: Alexander Mohanty, Dii GmbH, E-Mail: mohanty@dii-eumena.com, Phone: +49-89-340-7705-20 Web: http://www.dii-eumena.com

SOURCE: Dii GmbH

CONTACT: Contact: Alexander Mohanty, Dii GmbH, E-Mail:mohanty@dii-eumena.com,Phone: +49-89-340-7705-20