An Exploratory of Residents’ Views Towards Applying Renewable Energy Systems in Saudi Dwellings

Saudi Arabia has taken major steps to shift from an oil-centered to more environmentally-focused economy. One approach made recently is to enable households to possess and generate electricity by using small-scale residential solar photovoltaic systems (RSPSs). However, the number of applications to install this technology in residences is significantly low. Social acceptance of solar energy is essential for a successful energy transition. Hence, the present study aims to examine factors that may potentially motivate or impede individuals from purchasing RSPSs based on the diffusion of innovations theory. A cross-sectional, web-based survey is conducted including 1498 participants from the five main regions of Saudi Arabia. Results revealed a good cognition level in relation to solar energy, where the majority (64–83%) of respondents are aware of the benefits. An overwhelming proportion of the respondents (97%) associate RSPSs with a significantly positive image, with no significant variation in the acceptance or rejection rates among the five areas covered by the survey (p = 0.1). The results also show high statistical significance for the differences between RSPS acceptors and rejecters in all innovation attributes (p < 0.001). However, the perception of relative advantage has a higher correlation with acceptance RSPSs. These perceived advantages were of rather long-term nonfinancial benefits, such as environmental protection against global warming and provision of unlimited power, rather than the revenue related to direct costs benefits. The study also revealed that the installation cost was the most significant barrier to adopting the RSPS, which can be a focus for RSPS dissemination policies.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Consumer Behavior and Innovation Diffusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Factors Influencing Social Perception of Residential Solar Photovoltaic Systems in Saudi Arabia

Alrashoud

Tokimatsu

2019

“…To conclude, the major challenges to developing energy-efficient homes in Saudi Arabia are: Regardless of these challenges, research shows that residents are willing to incorporate sustainable features in their dwellings [31]. Sustainable building designs are a key aspect of the Saudi Vision 2030 and the present challenges discussed in developing sustainable buildings are set to be resolved in the coming years.…”

Section: Challenges In Designing and Constructing Energy-efficient Bumentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Building Performance Simulation to Design Energy-Efficient Homes: Case Study from Saudi Arabia

Ahmed

Asif

Alrashed³

2019

Self Cite

The per capita energy usage in Saudi Arabia is almost three times higher than the global average. A major contributor is the residential sector which consumes almost 50% of the total national energy consumption every year. Environmental and economic pressures along with the Saudi Vision 2030 reform program advocate for an improvement in energy consumption patterns. For a sustainable residential sector, energy-efficient solutions should be adopted in the design process preferably based on building performance simulation (BPS). This study investigates the existing status and future prospects of BPS in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia. A survey has been carried out with building industry professionals to investigate the existing practices in terms of use of BPS. Energy and environmental savings achievable through application of BPS have been estimated by modelling a typical residential villa as a case study. The results indicate that presently BPS is not being adequately applied by the building industry and a number of barriers exist which need to be addressed. The case study simulation indicates that electricity consumption of a villa based on a BPS-based design process is 51.3% less than the existing typical residential villa.

“…Buildings account for nearly 80% of the national electricity consumption, Sustainability 2016, 8, 1127 3 of 11 a figure well above the global average. Residential buildings alone consume over 51% of the total electricity [12][13][14][15][16]. Heavily subsidized energy prices have been an important factor in energy-expensive life style.…”

Section: The Energy Outlook Of Ksa and Solar Energy Initiativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban Scale Application of Solar PV to Improve Sustainability in the Building and the Energy Sectors of KSA

Asif

2016

Self Cite

Abstract:The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the largest country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region in terms of population, geographic area, economy, and construction and utility infrastructure. The rapid growth of the building sector in general and residential buildings in particular is creating huge energy and environmental challenges for the country. To address these problems and reduce its reliance on an oil-based energy infrastructure, the country aims to install 9.5 GW of renewable energy by 2030. Traditionally the emphasis has been on large-scale renewable projects. Globally, the recent success of solar energy has been significantly contributed by the application of photovoltaics (PV) in buildings. This is an area that has been overlooked in KSA. This study investigates the prospects of application of PV in buildings to improve the sustainability standards in the building and energy sectors of the country by considering the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) as a case study. PVsyst and RetScreen software programs have been used to model the application of PV on building rooftops in KFUPM. The study also discusses the concerned policy. It is found that the rooftop application of PV can annually produce 37,746 MWh of electricity, meeting over 16% of the KFUPM's total energy requirements.