The project in brief In the Mediterranean area, a large share of energy is consumed by households and in buildings. In addition to the dependence on fossil fuel, oil and natural gas, the primary energy demand is growing at a regular pace. Increasing the share of solar energy sources in the overall energy mix is a crucial goal for the Mediterranean area, as the exploitation of a sustainable renewable energy source would contribute to climate change mitigation - an issue of concern for the region due to its impact on desertification, floods, coastal vulnerability - and to energy security. Although impressive improvements have been made in the recent years concerning the integration of solar energy systems into conventional heating technology and despite the availability of mature technologies, solar thermal energy is still used in a rather small percentage of buildings and generally, only for domestic hot water in private houses. To improve this situation, STS-Med will contribute to the diffusion and development of Concentrated Solar (CS) small scale integrated systems, a high energy efficiency technology with a potential for replication across the Mediterranean area. Specific objectives • To create a flexible toolbox of Concentrated Solar (CS) applications by demonstrating their effectiveness in public buildings and premises • To deploy technologies from research and development results through case studies analysis, impact assessment and creation of demonstration units • To create new opportunities for the commercial and industrial sectors notably by improving technical skills of professionals involved and enabling SMEs to set up a full supply chain in the solar energy sector. Expected Results: • 4 demonstrative plants implemented in Italy, Cyprus, Egypt, and Jordan for a total power of 400 kW showing the benefits of the CS technologies to 20.000 end users coming from 20 Mediterranean local communities • Enhanced industrial perspective for CS technologies • Reinforced technological and operational industrial expertise of 200 energy professionals • Fostered growth of local production chains with the creation of new qualified jobs on CS systems production & installation • Policy makers supported in the decision-making process concerning incentives for solar energy • Increased awareness of target groups and institutional actors concerning the benefits of CS technologies.