Solar power: Prospects and concerns for sustainable development

Prospective studies generally evaluate the contribution of solar energy to the world energy mix in the range of hundreds of Mtoe. Considering the actu al mature solar technologies, this figure leads to a potential of hundreds of solar power plants at the horizon 2020. Development of such a programme requires RD&D to reduce costs and elaborate new systems. It requires also i ncentives to favour the initial market penetration in a context of low pric es of energy. Along with some other technologies, solar power has the poten tial to mitigate the CO2 problem and therefore appears as a competitor in t he international environment protection system. Several economic tools are available or under discussion to help financing the "incremental cost" of d evelopment projects in developing countries which are less emitting than cu rrent practices. The concept of activities implemented jointly" can foster the partnerships for both climate and development, and finally give support to solar energy. As a non polluting and long lasting technology, solar the rmal power appears as a potential contributor to sustainable development. N evertheless, in the context of hard competition for financing priorities, i t has to prove that it is really good for economic development and that dev eloping countries can afford it.