The Mediterranean Solar Plan

Context:

The Union Pour la Méditerranée (UPM) was launched at the Paris Summit in June 2008. It is the continuation of the Barcelona Process in 1995 whose objective is the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade and support the process of integration of energy markets through large-scale projects such as Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP).

The Mediterranean Solar Plan is an important project of the UPM. It aims to increase the use of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency in the region. It will thus limit the global warming and reduce the vulnerability of the energy system of each country and the region as a whole.

Objectives:

- Increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency support 

  for the UPM countries.

- Expanding production units including solar renewable electricity in 

  the Mediterranean countries, with a total capacity of 20 Gigawatt 

  in 2020.

- Consumption of a part of the electricity-producing countries in the 

  Middle East and North Africa local market and export part of production 

  to the European Union to ensure the profitability of projects.

Project: Paving The Way for the Mediterranean Solar Plan

This project, as the name suggests, paves the way for the Mediterranean Solar Plan. It includes nine countries south of the Mediterranean partners in the European Union.

- Objectives:

   - Promote the results achieved so far.
   - Create a conducive environment to the Mediterranean Solar Plan.
   - Provide a platform for dialogue and joint activities.
   - Analyze key issues and integrate them into the dialogue to make  
     progress.

- Themes

   - Support the Mediterranean partner countries in creating a 
     harmonized regulatory framework for appropriate investment 
     in the electricity sector based on renewable energy.

   - Share knowledge and experiences between Mediterranean countries 
     and the European Union Member States to promote cooperation in
     research, development and innovation and technology transfer.

   - Support the Mediterranean partner countries to implement 
     sustainable energy policies promoting the use of renewable energy 
     sources in electricity generation and energy efficiency.

   - Improve the economic and financial framework for investment in 
     renewable energy use for electricity generation, particularly solar 
     energy.

- Activities

   - Developing national and regional roadmaps for:

         i. Regulatory reform.
         ii. Institutional development.
         iii. Knowledge transfer (training, research reports, workshops 
             and seminars).

   - Search synergy with regional institutions such as the Regional 
     Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CREATED).

   - Collaborate with other similar projects funded by the European 
      Union such as MED and MED-ENEC EMIP.

- Financing

   - The project is funded by the European Commission over a period 
      of 3 years. Starting in September 2010.

    - The project is entrusted to a consortium composed of:

          1. The German company MVV decon. which leads the consortium.
           2. Two national operators of the electrical distribution network 
               TERNA (Italy), RTE (France).
           3. ENEA (Italy) a major national energy agencies of the
               European Union.
           4. Sonelgaz (Algeria) a major electricity companies of 
               Mediterranean partner countries.

- Members

    - Associate Members of the consortium contribute to the dissemination 
      of knowledge introduced in the project. The most important are:
    
      i.      The European Institute of Florence 
              (Florence School of Regulation).
     ii.      GSE an Italian institution for the promotion of 
              renewable energies.