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Solar Energy Potentials and Benefits in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Review of Substantial Issues

Author

Listed:
  • Abdullahi Abubakar Mas’ud

    (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Jubail Industrial College, P.O. Box 10099, Jubail Industrial City 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Asan Vernyuy Wirba

    (Department of Management and Information Technology, Jubail Industrial College, P.O. Box 10099, Jubail Industrial City 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Saud J. Alshammari

    (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK)

  • Firdaus Muhammad-Sukki

    (School of Engineering, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen AB10 7GJ, Scotland, UK)

  • Mu’azu Mohammed Abdullahi

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Jubail University College, P.O. Box 10074, Jubail Industrial City 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Ricardo Albarracín

    (Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica, Automática y Física Aplicada, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería y Diseño Industrial, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ronda de Valencia 3, 28012 Madrid, Spain)

  • Mohammed Ziaul Hoq

    (Department of Management and Information Technology, Jubail Industrial College, P.O. Box 10099, Jubail Industrial City 31261, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

It is a well-known fact that the fossil fuel industry has dominated the economy of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries during the last few decades. However, recent developments show that most of the GCC countries plan to increase the share of renewable energy (RE) in their future electrical power production. To ensure realistic increase in the share of RE in the production of electricity in the future, firm policies must be laid down with the objective to promote and market the benefit of RE to their citizens. Due to the high-solar radiation in the GCC region, the focus is now on solar energy development. This paper presents an up-to-date review of the progress made on solar energy in the GCC together with the challenges and the way forward. Some of the challenges and barriers hindering the development of RE in the GCC are in the area of technological know-how, policy development, and insufficient application of RE technology integrated in the buildings among others. Areas of improvement include promoting research and development, public/private initiatives, legislation and regulatory framework, solutions to technical issues and exchange of knowledge, scientific advice, and last but not the least is the issue of building integration with RE.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdullahi Abubakar Mas’ud & Asan Vernyuy Wirba & Saud J. Alshammari & Firdaus Muhammad-Sukki & Mu’azu Mohammed Abdullahi & Ricardo Albarracín & Mohammed Ziaul Hoq, 2018. "Solar Energy Potentials and Benefits in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Review of Substantial Issues," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:2:p:372-:d:130280
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Amira Kasem & Mohammad Alawin, 2019. "Exploring the Impact of Renewable Energy on Climate Change in the GCC Countries," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(6), pages 124-130.
    5. Tholkappiyan Ramachandran & Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad & Fathalla Hamed, 2022. "A Review on Solar Energy Utilization and Projects: Development in and around the UAE," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-27, May.
    6. J. Sadhik Basha & Tahereh Jafary & Ranjit Vasudevan & Jahanzeb Khan Bahadur & Muna Al Ajmi & Aadil Al Neyadi & Manzoore Elahi M. Soudagar & MA Mujtaba & Abrar Hussain & Waqar Ahmed & Kiran Shahapurkar, 2021. "Potential of Utilization of Renewable Energy Technologies in Gulf Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-29, September.
    7. Inna Lazanyuk & Svetlana Ratner & Svetlana Revinova & Konstantin Gomonov & Swati Modi, 2023. "Diffusion of Renewable Microgeneration on the Side of End-User: Multiple Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-22, March.
    8. Krupa, Joel & Poudineh, Rahmatallah & Harvey, L.D. Danny, 2019. "Renewable electricity finance in the resource-rich countries of the Middle East and North Africa: A case study on the Gulf Cooperation Council," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1047-1062.
    9. Mehran Dehghan & Carlos F. Pfeiffer & Elyas Rakhshani & Reza Bakhshi-Jafarabadi, 2021. "A Review on Techno-Economic Assessment of Solar Water Heating Systems in the Middle East," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-28, August.

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