Expert Workshop in Mediterranean Solar Plan   28/10/2008
The governments of Germany and France have taken the initiative to develop the Mediterranean Solar Plan in the framework of "The Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean". An expert workshop in Berlin and a conference in Paris are two activities to develop the plan. The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety hosts the expert workshop in Berlin to pave the way for one of the key initiatives of the Union for the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean Solar Plan will aim at increasing the use of solar energy and other renewable energy sources for power generation, as well as improving energy efficiency and energy savings, where necessary. The key element of the proposal will be the development of a common framework in terms of legislative, regulatory and investment environment that will facilitate the development of solar and other renewable energy use. This could mean in practice the development, by 2020, of 20 GW of new generation capacity in solar and other renewable energies in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean Solar Plan will build on the enormous potential for solar electricity installations available in the Mediterranean countries including, for instance, through the development of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants and other available technologies once they are mature to be extensively deployed. The Mediterranean Solar Plan will integrate existing Euro- Mediterranean activities in the field of renewable energies for power generation and associated grid infrastructure development. A relevant aspect is the ability of exporting "green electricity" to the EU from other countries of the Union for the Mediterranean. During the Berlin workshop experts of EU Commission and governments of interested countries of the Union for the Mediterranean shall discuss different issues related to development, potential, costs and support mechanisms for renewable energies, focusing on concentrating solar power, photovoltaics and wind technologies as well as grid infrastructure. The workshop will be opened by Matthias Machnig, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. http://www.vdivde-it.de/msp/registration