GCC Countries’ Renewable Energy Penetration and the Progress of Their Energy Sector Projects

Abstract

The member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are reliant on fossil fuels to generate electricity. Fossil fuels also represent the main source of economic income in the region. Climate change is closely associated with the use of fossil fuels, and it has become the main motivation driving the GCC countries to search for alternative solutions, such as renewable energy technologies, to eliminate their reliance on fossil fuels and the climate burden attached. The GCC countries have all adopted plans for economic development and diversification to be implemented over two decades. Such plans are strengthened by a framework for long-term planning, which includes a strategic commitment to pursue the development process in a sustainable manner. This research provides a comprehensive review and strict follow-up to shed light on the renewable energy projects implemented in the GCC region and critically discusses future prospects. The projects foreshadow the GCC countries' ability to comply with the future requirements and to spearhead the renewable energy transition towards a more sustainable and equitable future. The main findings of this research reveal that the GCC countries have achieved significant progress in the field of renewable energy deployment. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are at the top of the list for global renewable energy projects, while Kuwait and Oman have also announced the progress of their projects and have honored their pledges. We find that Bahrain and Qatar need to exercise more transparency in regard to disclosing information about the developments of their renewable energy projects. Finally, although several promising renewable energy projects are underway or have been announced in the region, their completion should be accelerated, and more projects must be implemented to fully meet the decarbonization targets and climate constraints.

Potential of Utilization of Renewable Energy Technologies in Gulf Countries

“…Additionally, one renewable energy project Sakaka Solar PV (300 MW) is also under construction [111]. The target of renewable energy generation of Saudi Arabia in their first phase was 3.4 GW by 2020 and in the second phase, 9.5 GW by 2023 [112]. The UAE aims to include about 7% of their renewable energy with 7% reduction in CO 2 emission up to 2020.…”

“…Additionally, the two largest renewable projects, Noor Abu Dhabi Solar PV (1200 MW) and Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in different phases, are under construction. In this project, Phase-I (13 MW), Phase-II (200 MW), and Phase-III (800 MW) are completed, Phase-IV (1000 MW) is under construction, and Phase-V (900 MW) is planned in the near future [112]. Qatar has set a goal of meeting 2% of its solar electricity needs by 2020.…”

“…Qatar has set a goal of meeting 2% of its solar electricity needs. (800 MW) Solar Power Plant Al Kharsaah, Doha and (700 MW) Al Kharsaah, Al Jumaliyah will be ready by 2022 [112]. The ultimate aim is to produce one-third of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030, resulting in approximately 54,000 MW of renewable energy installations [114].…”

Advanced Fuzzy-Based Smart Energy Auditing Scheme for Smart Building Environment With Solar Integrated Systems

“…The climate is changing rapidly. With the growing concern of global warming and green-house gases, energy conservation as well as energy efficiency both will play a deciding role as these factors directly decide energy consumption [2].Therefore, evaluating recognitive balanced scorecard based and effective decision making are required for maintaining energy quality [3]. Renewable energy has opened new doors to meet the peak demand, save electricity cost of the customer and reduce carbon emissions by quantifying the impact of solar PV systems and energy storage assets [4].By improving the quantification and an effective energy technique, the uncertainty in the energy production and usage can be reduced and a power efficient system can be implemented [5].…”

Saudi Arabia Energy Transition in the Context of Scholarly Publications

“…Fossil fuels are the main source of economic income in the Gulf countries. On the other hand, climate change is closely linked to the use of fossil energy, and this has motivated the Gulf countries to look for alternative solutions, such as renewable energy technologies to comply with the Paris Agreement [3].…”