The World Solar Thermal Electricity Association (STELA World) in partnership with the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership (UCPSL) will be hosting a CSP Side Event at COP 17.
CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER – A CENTRAL PLAYER IN THE GREEN ECONOMY?
COP17 – 7th December 2011 at the Oasis of Fresh Thinking, Durban
The World Solar Thermal Electricity Association (STELA World) in partnership with the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership (UCPSL) will be hosting a CSP Side Event at COP 17. The side event will take place at the UCPSL’s ‘Oasis of fresh thinking”, located a stone’s throw away (10 minute walk) from the main COP 17 venue.
The purpose of the event is to bring together Global Concentrating Solar Power Business Leaders, Government Leaders, the media, the youth, civil society, academia, finance institutions, pension funds and International organisations such as the World Bank, UNEP, the Clinton Climate Initiative to discuss the role of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) / Solar Thermal Electricity (STE) in climate change mitigation, energy security, job creation, poverty alleviation, green infrastructure development and industrialization opportunities in the World’s sunbelt areas that are favourable for CSP, most of which are located in the emerging markets as shown on the map below.
The discussions will also focus on the role CSP can play in answering the call by the G20 leaders for investing in large scale infrastructure projects in developing economies to help boost global growth and attract long-term infrastructure investments from funds such as the $30 trillion global pension industry, Asian and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds struggling to find good homes for their cash in a low growth world. The conversations will also focus on why investments in CSP infrastructure projects will allow pension funds to be in a position to pay their investors in 20 to 50 years when their investors retire.
In the economically and environmentally constrained world of the 21st century, it is critical that decisions about renewable energy policy and investment are based on the best available information.
STELAWorld has been formed to work with international agencies such as the IEA, IRENA, the UNFCCC, UN Development Program, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the European, African and Asian Development Banks to assist policy-makers and energy investors to access information on solar thermal electricity development, and the value and rapidly reducing cost of solar thermal electricity production.
Through its member bodies, STELAWorld aims to promote data and information exchange from industry, research agencies, academic institutions and government bodies around the world relating to solar thermal power generation.
STELAWorld seeks to help the world to see the unique value and benefits of solar thermal electricity generation, and to promote policy settings that will accelerate investment in the development of large-scale solar thermal power around the world.
www.stelaworld.org/uploads/media/STELA_EVENT_AT_COP17_Contributors_Programme_Final.pdf
