Global Market Initiative for Concentrating Solar Power - Clean Energy Information Portal

Global Market Initiative for Concentrating Solar Power (GMI-CSP)

to create appropriate conditions conducive for the worldwide implementation of projects aiming at the solar thermal generation of energy by coordinating the efforts of all parties concerned
to eliminate existing obstacles in the electricity markets of the suitable countries situated in the sun-belt of the earth is just as part of the initiative as the provision of funds for the implementation of concrete projects
to achieve an installed solar thermal capacity of approximately 5.000 MW by the year 2015, so as to achieve the threshold price competitiveness in the market by significantly reducing the cost of this technology

Each country or state participating in the CSP GMI will contribute with the following policy measures:

national and/or regional targets will be set for CSP capacity.
to encourage private sector investment and provide a stable investment climate, the level of revenue for CSP projects needs to be adequate . This can be achieved by feed-in tariffs, production tax credits, or public benefit charges specific for CSP.
Coordination with participating neighboring countries, states or regions with preferential tariff schemes will allow CSP based electricity imports from high solar radiation areas (and therefore lower electricity costs).
The use of longterm power purchase agreements or similar long-term contracts with credit-worthy offtakers, or equity ownership by public organizations will build confidence of investors and financial institutions.
Cooperating bilateral and/or multilateral financial institutions will ensure that project-related flexible Kyoto instruments such as Clean Development Mechanisms and Joint Implementation Actions become applicable to CSP and ensure that the mechanisms are bankable. The establishment of national or regional loan guarantee programs will further reduce the inherent risk of introducing new technology for private sector banking institutions.
Legal restrictions and barriers to allow more cost-effective connections of CSP plants to the electric grid at the end user (customer), distribution and/or transmission points shall be identified and eliminated.