Catania, Sicily, Italy
"The gate to the Mediterranean Area"
PV Med conference reveals the strong interest for solar electricity in the whole Mediterranean Area
Huge success
Over 350 participants from more than 28 countries attended the two-day conference. EPIA’s initiative to re-launch Mediterranean gatherings dedicated to solar electricity largely met participants’ expectations. Everyone came to PV Med willing to understand what the current trends for the development of PV in its own region are.
Not only Italian representatives attended, but also from the whole Mediterranean region and Europe.
Political commitment for solar electricity
Transforming solar energy, so abundant in the region, into electricity is not anymore an utopia, the interest for this clean form of energy from high-level decision makers can prove it.
A large delegation of Political representatives came from all the Mediterranean area and largely contributed to the success of PV MED: HE Dr. Hani Mourtada, Syrian Minister of Higher Education, Salvatore Cuffaro, President of Regione Sicilia, Umberto Scapagnini, Mayor of Catania Hans-Josef Fell, Member of the German Bundestag, Corrado Clini, Director General of Italian Ministry for the Environment and Territory, Malek Kabariti, President of the Jordan National Energy Research Center (NERC), Nabeel Tinah, Director General of Palestinian Energy and Environment Research Center, Amal Haddouche, Director General of the Moroccan Renewable Energy Development Centre (CDER), Rafic Yousef Georgy, Managing Director of technical affairs of the Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA). Natacchia Falcucci, Associated Manager of the Italian Transmission Network Managing Body (GRTN)
Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Morocco, Egypt but also Spain and Italy are developing and are willing to commit for the development of solar electrical applications adapted to each of their Country’s needs.
High-level of expertise in the Mediterranean area to learn lessons from the past
European and Mediterranean experts in the photovoltaic sector were present.
The second day was very much practical and brought concrete answers to people questions related to existing support programs, past experiences of companies in rural areas; technologies such as telecommunications systems or the latest technological developments.
Parallel session 1, focused on photovoltaic rural applications, the main points which can be highlighted are: the Alliance for Rural Electrification initiative which was officially launched on this occasion, its mission will be to stimulate sustainable development in non-electrified areas of developing countries, by promoting accelerated access to electricity services from renewable energy Learning from experience: based on the past experiences presented, participants learned how technological solutions should be adapted to the local needs and the importance to carefully followed-up energy projects from their conception until the management phase. Finally all agreed that solar electrification programmes should be financed according to the local context and should encourage local business-trainings and jobs to ensure its full success.
Parallel session 2, on the necessary framework for the market development concluded that: Adequate financial tools such as investment funds or micro-credits could provide useful solutions to accelerate investment in solar electricity; How the MEDREP could serve, in the Mediterranean area as a bridge between energy needs and possible solutions to boost development. Experience from the German programme show how on-grid markets in Mediterranean, and especially Italy, should go step by step to develop a sustainable PV market.
Parallel session 3, on “New photovoltaic technologies and research” focused on the specific technological needs of the Mediterranean area.
The latest developments on cell efficiencies, Storage solutions for off-grid applications, concentrators to take a maximum advantage of the sun of the Mediterranean, advantages and risks of large-scale power plants; the interest of hybrid systems to bring practical solutions in appropriate areas were presented and discussed in this highly attended session.
The conclusions presented by the rapporteurs in the closing session can be downloaded.
Italy under the spotlight of PV MED
PV Med proved once more that the feed-in tariff is the best support system for the development of grid-connected Photovoltaic applications. Today Italy is the witness of this success. On the closing day of the conference, Mr. Scajola, Italian ministry for the industry confirmed this major achievement: “It is the enthusiastic result of our intention to bet on PV technology, this is the first step of Berlusconi’s government strategy to diversify our production of energy, to introduce green energy and , in the long term, the reduction of the energetic bill for our families”. There has been so far 3500 request of Feed-in tariff financed projects, for a total of 61.9 MW for plant less than 50 kWp and 33,3 MW of for plant over 50 kWp. In few days Italy will have multiplied by 10 the quantity of current PV applications.
A large place dedicated to B-to-B meetings
Participants enjoyed the sunny weather and took advantage of time offered between sessions to organize many B-to-B, build new contacts in the Mediterranean area and understand the trends of the market. Every one left with a high satisfaction and every moment was exploited to make of this event the starting date for new cooperation.
Concrete results
PV MED enabled participants to build many new contacts, in terms of concrete outcomes, two important results have to be highlighted:
The launch of the Alliance for Rural Electrification; its objective is to provide renewable energy solutions for sustainable development by providing clean electricity in remote areas.
A Mediterranean Platform for RES development will be created, in Sicily with the support of the Italian Ministry for the Environment and Territory; it will be animated by an EPIA-GIFI consortium.
And now PV Med II …
It’s time to think of the follow-up, Murray Cameron, EPIA President in conclusion of the 1st PV MED announced the next conference date and location: PV MED II will take place in June 2006 in a southern or eastern Mediterranean country in June 2006 it will be organized by EPIA with the support of the Italian Ministry for the Environment, the ADEME and the local government.
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