As European countries consider the energy challenges for the future in meeting increased demand whilst reviewing the safety and sustainability of nuclear power, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats are highlighting today, in a conference in the European Parliament, the merits of solar power as a clean and reliable means of plugging the energy gap.

Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE group leader, opened the conference by declaring that "the EU needs to see sustainable economic growth which is compatible with the environment .... and at the same time a reduction in CO2 emissions."

"Solar power represents a huge potential source of energy which must be further exploited as a vital part of Europe's energy mix."

Professor Vladko Panayotov (MRF, Bulgaria), who organised the event and was responsible for introducing a pilot project on solar power into this year's EU budget said:

"Much of the world's required energy can be supplied directly by solar power.  We must explore how to reach the full potential of what the sun sends to us."

Jorgo Chatzimarkakis (FDP, Germany) who chaired one of the sessions added that "Germany has just opted for the post-nuclear age. After Fukushima, this was the right decision. Germany, however, has to settle question of compensation. The right mixture of gas and renewable energies such as solar could be the answer. We have to build up a new strategic partnership with North Africa in order to create a "solar union" with countries such as Egypt or Tunisia. Huge infrastructure costs will need to be met through innovative financing such as European project bonds. Europe must work more closely together aiming at creating a European Energy Union."

Various technologies exist for harnessing solar power using photovoltaic cells or solar thermal power either to capture the light or the heat and converting it into energy or electricity.

For more information see:
http://www.epia.org/
http://www.estelasolar.eu/
http://www.estif.org/