Solar energy for the South

Simone Probst, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Environment Ministry, opened in Berlin together with the "Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau" (KfW, Reconstruction Loan Corporation) aninternational symposium on the market introduction of concentrating solar power plants. Using mirror configurations, concentrating solar power systems collect radiant energy from the sun and convertthe bundled heat into electricity. "Concentrating solar power plants provide countries rich in sunshine with the most efficient technology to directly exploit the inexhaustible potential of solarradiation," Simone Probst said at the opening ceremony.

From the 19th to the 20th of June 2002, high-ranking representatives from 16 countries will consult about how to launch concentrating solar power plants most efficiently in the market. In thiseffort, particularly the developing countries rich in sunshine will play an important role. It is precisely these countries that by means of concentrating solar power will be able not only todisengage themselves from expensive energy imports, but in the mid-term could even sell renewable energy in the form of electricity or hydrogen.

"Germany is definitely going to benefit from this development, as we can provide state-of-the-art technology in this field. The export of concentrating solar power plants is an importantcontribution to sustainable development and poverty reduction in the South. After all, these goals are closely linked to the task of creating a sustainable energy supply," Parliamentary StateSecretary Probst said. In turn, it would also be possible to import electricity generated from renewable energy sources to Germany. The "Sustainability Strategy" that has just recently been adoptedby the Federal Cabinet plans for a 50 % share of renewable energies in Germany by the middle of this century. As Ms. Probst said, it would be quite feasible to import some proportion of that.

For that reason the Federal Government also supports the construction of concentrating solar power plants and research on concentrating solar power in countries of the South. The KfW, forinstance, finances on behalf of the Federal Government and in cooperation with the GEF (Global Environment Facility) of the United Nations the first Indian concentrating solar power plant inMathania. "Here we are promoting another case to show that this innovative technology allows us to exploit the sun in developing countries in order to generate thermal energy," Wolfgang Kroh, memberof the Board of managing Directors of KfW, pointed out.

At the moment concentrating solar power plants are still more expensive than conventional power plants fired with fossil fuels. In order to promote the technical advancement of these installationsand to make best possible use of the cost reduction potential, further research and development are needed. Parliamentary State Secretary Probst believes that the leading position of Germany'sscience and industry must be safeguarded in this field: "That is why we intend to continue the research program that is being implemented by the Federal Environment Ministry with the support of theKfW in the framework of the future investment program." This is to be paralleled by a product placement strategy with long-term effectiveness to be developed in an international partnership.