STRATEGIES FOR MARSHALLING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS Douglas G. Bailey and Neal A. Irwin IBI Group, 156 Front Street West, Toronto, Canada M5J 2L6 Solar power systems, and particularly the proposed Solar Power Satellite System, may have significant impacts upon global energy demands, with far- reaching consequences and specific benefits for Lesser Developed Countries. Were such systems in place, global demands for conventional energy might be lessened, and the prospects for longer term security of energy supplies for the LDC's might brighten appreciably. There are important potential roles for smaller industrialized countries such as Canada in interpreting the benefit of the development of solar power systems, into plans and projects that are longer-range in nature, and that spell out socio-economic development objectives that may become feasible for the LDC's were solar power systems more advanced. The long-range plans proposed could come about as a consequence of the redirection of Canadian multilateral aid, that amounts of approximately 40% of the country's aid budget, so that Canadian participation in mulitlateral activities is direct and intellectual as well as budgetary. Secondarily, countries such as Canada could participate directly in the economic and technological development of large-scale projects such as the SPSS -- provided that those parties taking the primary role in its development can provide direction concerning such participation. Finally, Canada could provide the link between such major capital projects for energy technologies, and other technologies that are presently in the development stages. An example is recombinant DNA technology and the development of smaller CANDU reactors for nations too small to be directly served by the major energy technology efforts.
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