Mediterranean Solar Plan   22/11/2008
The Mediterranean Solar Plan is one of six projects of the Union For the Mediterranean (UPM Union Pour la Mediterranean). The UPM, launched with 43 Member States, by the President of the French Republic under the French Presidency of the European Union on July 13th, 2008, aims at implementing common projects with the countries of the two shores of the Mediterranean. To this end, the UPM wants to foster a new cooperation and development policy in the whole region of the Mediterranean basin. Its presidency will at first be held jointly by the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, and by the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy. The Mediterranean Solar Plan (PSM - Plan Solaire Mediterranen) is the flagship project of the UPM. Its goals are the development of new energy production capacities using renewable energy, in particular solar technologies, on the southern side of the Mediterranean, in order to satisfy demand at local level and to export part of the production towards Europe, as well as the implementation of major progress in reducing energy demand and increasing energy efficiency in the whole region. The concrete target is the construction, by 2020, of 20 GW of new electricity production capacities using low carbon technologies. The project will be taken forward in three phases: I. The preparation phase currently under way consists of mobilizing all actors interested in this approach and identifying the technologies which could be implemented by 2020 at an acceptable cost compared to the price of the fossil fuel based electricity. This step also comprises setting up an organization able to allow for a quick development of these new capacities while guaranteeing effective and transparent governance. II. The pilot phase will allow, within the framework of an Immediate Action Plan (IAP) over the period 2009-2010, to carry out a first series of pilot projects in southern countries with average size production units (20 to 30 MW for photovolta?, 50MW for concentrated solar power and 100MW for wind). The development of this project portfolio will make it possible to specify the practical steps for implementing such projects, notably concerning administrative procedures, conditions of financing, local electricity sale and export to the European Union. III. Finally, the implementation phase will allow from 2011 onwards the large scale realization of new capacities in order to reach the 2020 goals. A conference will take place on November 22, 2008, in Paris to discuss energy projects which could be chosen within the framework of the PSM. It will gather those who will become the main actors of this Plan: industrial companies, investors, specialized institutions, multilateral organizations and policy makers. The conference will bring together high level actors interested in getting involved directly in MSP projects: policy makers, private operators and industry associations, potential investors (companies, public and private funds), financing institutions, specialised organisations and agencies. The conference will build upon: - Results of the Berlin workshop (October 28th and 29th), notably concerning technology options and cost estimates for the development of the MSP; - Results of the French presidency roundtable on grid infrastructure issues in relation with the MSP (Paris, November 21st). Its expected output is to: - Discuss the implementation issues at stake for massive deployment of renewable energies in the Mediterranean region; - Identify solutions to the investment and financing challenge of the MSP; - Raise awareness about the opportunities offered by the MSP and connect relevant public and private actors for developing projects; - Initiate the concrete steps necessary for the launch of first pilot projects in 2009/2010. This will allow to design the activities and financing for the starting period of the MSP under the French-Egyptian presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean as well as medium and long term financing solutions to reach the overall target of the MSP. The conclusions of the conference will also flow into the draft proposal for a Mediterranean Solar Plan, which will serve as a basis for the political declaration of all Member States of the Union for the Mediterranean on the MSP.

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