Keeping in mind its renewable energy target of 20 percent for 2020, European Union energy officials met with their counterparts on the other side of the Mediterranean last Friday in Brussels to discuss the Mediterranean Solar Plan, the ambitious project intended to align the energy interests of the European Union and North Africa through the building of renewable energy (mainly solar) hubs across North Africa, a move that will both generate clean energy for export to Europe and create millions of new jobs.

Presented by President Sarkozy in July 2008 as part of the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean, the plan has few details and a nebulous shape so far. But we do know this much: the goal is to start by building dozens of projects generating 1 gigawatt of power in the Mediterranean region over the next two years, with the addition of projects generating 19 gigawatts of power over the next 19 years.

Political interests, of course, played a dominant role in the panel on Friday:

Underlining the geopolitical role that renewable power could play in the region, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Union’s commissioner for external relations and the European Neighborhood Policy, said the project could foster economic stability in North Africa while helping Europe break its dependence on gas from Russia, which cut off supplies to Europe in January as part of a dispute with Ukraine.

The New York Times’ Green Inc. blog has the scoop, with a good summary of some key points and concerns from the speakers (and don’t forget to check out the comments section!).