RES technology transfer within the new climate regime: A “helicopter” view under the CDM

There are several opportunities for Renewable Energy Sources (RES), within the new climate change regime as they meet the two basic conditions to be eligible under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). RES contribute to global sustainability through greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and, they conform to national priorities by leading to the enhancement of local economic activity, capacities and infrastructure. However, RES knowledge regarding their benefits, needs and priorities is not easily fed into the developing countries’ decision-making process, since it is not provided to all relevant stakeholders in a structured and transparent way. The main scope of this paper is an exploratory analysis of five renewable energy options, namely Hydro, Wind, Solar, Geothermal and Ocean energy, in terms of their status in the developed world and their potential and perspectives for deployment in the developing world. Particular emphasis will be laid on the emerging opportunities for sustainable technology transfer under the umbrella of the CDM.