Examination of projects for aid in developing countries with emphasis to renewable energy sources

The distinction of countries, in developing and developed ones, is part of the evaluation process of economic and social prosperity of a country, and its overall development activity. This process, started in the late 1940s as part of a systematic analysis of the problem of economic growth, confirms the existence of two completely different worlds, the developing and the developed one. It is about two worlds with too many differences, in many areas, with different characteristics and needs. Developing countries constitute a large and extremely diverse group of countries. Each country has its own characteristics and needs. However, there are some main characteristics (eg, low living standards, low per capita income, low productivity, high population growth rates, etc.) which most of them share. Through this thesis, a major effort was done to boost the development in developing countries. This effort focuses on technology transfer and the know-how to these countries, through the exploration of projects and processes that can improve their living standards and help them in further development .This thesis gives attention to renewable energy and the role it can play in the future of developing countries. In recent years, the increasing pollution of the environment by the existing types of energy led people to seek for new, environmentally friendly, forms of energy, which will cover various needs. The turn to the renewable energy presents great growth and even more projects are run in this area, helping developing countries , not only with offering energy supplies, but also in technological progress and finally in an overall development. Developing countries, by using renewable energy, create the appropriate conditions for a sustainable and environmentally friendly development. Special reference must be made for the Ydriada’s project. «Ydriada» is the world's first floating desalination unit, which operates with the use of renewable energy and specifically the use of wind and solar energy. Its design and construction came as a result of the cooperation between a team of Greek scientists and technicians of various specialties. Their aim was to create a desalination unit, environmentally friendly, which based on renewable energy, will help significantly and substantially to meet the water needs, particularly in islands, during the periods of increased demand. Ydriada’s project is a unique construction, based on renewable energy and won a plethora of positive comments and rewards from the scientific and research community, all over the world. In the context of giving help to developing countries, many international organizations (eg World Bank, European Investment Bank, etc.) provided them with the necessary funds in order to support the use of renewable energy. Hundreds of projects, in many countries, were funded, through various programs, essentially helping their citizens and promote further development for their regions. From this thesis, the following conclusions can be drawn: There are huge differences between developing and developed world, in various areas (eg living conditions, infrastructure, economic situation, etc.), despite intense and sustained efforts over the years to mitigate them and there are still many steps to be done in order to avoid talking about two «entirely different worlds». Transfer of technology and know-how from developed to developing countries will help significantly and substantially to further development. However, such an action poses a risk of increasing dependence of developing world from the developed one Over the last decade, there is a significant increase in the use of renewable energy because of its comparative advantages. The most important of these is the respect given to the environment, which has been significantly affected by human activities , together with the opportunity of offering energy independence to a country Many countries support the use of renewable energy, in order to satisfy part of their energy needs The cost of renewable energy may be significantly reduced through the continuous use , making it, economically, attractive Developing countries should base their development on renewable energy, aiming at a sustainable and environmentally friendly development , without harming the environment, as developed countries did, while their own development took place Many projects, in renewable energy area, are financed every year, in developing countries by international organizations and financial institutions in order to support the development of these countries.