Energy transition and productive partnerships in the Mediterranean

Workshop report: Mediterranean Coproduction Observatory: Promoting productive partnerships to boost the energy transition

Created in December 2014, the Mediterranean Coproduction Observatory aims to show that coproduction is the way forward and to grasp the industrial strategies between both shores.

At COP 21, Thibault FABRE, Businesses and international project manager, along with the associate-experts of the Mediterranean Coproduction Observatory, Martin FLEURY and Jean-Philippe PAYET, presented this new model of productive partnership and showed in what way it contributes to mobilise companies in the face of climate change.

Geographic zones of the Mediterranean Co-production Observatory:

Northern Mediterranean countries: Germany, Spain, France, Italy. “Even though it does not belong to northern Mediterranean countries, Germany is included in the project because of its major development strategies in terms of energy transition. ”

Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.

Definition of coproduction:

Coproduction within the Mediterranean space can be defined by 4 strong and indivisible ideas:

1. Development of a value chain, so that coproduction generates local added value at each step of its cycle, for all stakeholders;
2. Notion of partnership, rather than subcontracting, for a fair share of benefits;
3. Sustainable investments, involving long-term jointly implemented planning, with no intention of getting a one-time “deal”;
4. Integration or presence of at least one southern partner. Coproduction can then be either South/South, South/North or North/South.

Coproduction to foster the development of a green economy in the Mediterranean:

In its works, IPEMED showed that the energy transition is a future-oriented sector for the development of coproduction between the Mediterranean shores.

In order for this sector to develop, IPEMED identified 3 contributions of the coproduction model for the development of a green economy:

• Technology and skills transfer enabling the development of technical solutions - especially regarding renewable energies - and contributing to the creation of local added value;
• Development of SEMCs energy mix through the creation of value chains using clean energies, especially wind and solar powers;
• By favouring production in a country for its local market, coproduction reduces transports, be it in terms of costs or environmental impact; benefits from SEMCs comparative advantages in terms of renewable energies and improves the carbon footprint of concerned products.

Example of North/South partnership: talk of Souad Lalami of the Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN)

Mrs Lalami, Policy officer to the General Management in charge of Energy Efficiency & Green Buildings at IRESEN, gave an example of North/South partnership in this sector. Given IRESEN works, which include the funding of innovative projects on biomass and solar power, Souad Lalami defends the idea that “a North/South collaboration is a win/win collaboration”. In order to carry out their projects, IRESEN funds universities/companies partnerships, in which northern and southern universities bring their knowledge while companies identify the market’s needs.

Forthcoming stages of the Mediterranean Coproduction Observatory

Finally, IPEMED announced the coming publication of a report of the Coproduction Observatory dedicated to the energy transition and the potential it represents for the development of productive partnerships between Mediterranean economic operators.