GCC Renewable Energy Sector Opportunity Analysis
The world’s largest producer of oil and gas is finding it increasingly difficult to suffice its own needs. An unprecedented increase in population and growth in industrial and economic activity has triggered newfound interest in renewable energy development for six major Middle Eastern economies. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, together knows as the Gulf Cooperation Council, have turned their focus towards the exploitation of renewable sources of energy present in the region.
Electricity production is the most energy intensive industry in these countries and is produced mostly from fossil fuels. The climatic conditions of the region make air conditioning a must resulting in more than average power consumption as compared to the rest of the world. About 99% of water in these countries comes from desalination, another energy consuming process, working mainly on gas feeds. Water and electricity together are the most energy consuming sectors in the region and some of these countries are the highest per capita consumers of power and water. With depleting oil and gas reserves and export quotas and commitments to fulfill, it is vital for the GCC countries to diversify and look at renewable sources of energy for power and water production.
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Oman have each declared their plans to produce at least 10% of electricity from renewable sources of energy by 2020 and are leaving no stone unturned to secure their future with renewable sources of energy, the report implies.
The research report is an intriguing text that gives facts and projected figures about the paradoxical situation arising in the world, with the world’s largest oil and gas providers looking at renewable sources to light their own bulbs. The report meticulously takes through each country’s electricity and water situation and then its renewable energy efforts along with policies and regulations. It is packed with information and adds a special feature on the GCC interconnection grid that will be fed with power from the renewable sources of energy in the coming years and also gives the potential renewable sources of energy and the future scenario of the GCC region with the latest developments.
2. GCC RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCE MAPPING
2.1 Solar
2.2 Wind
2.3 Waste to Energy
2.4 Biogas
3. SAUDI ARABIA
3.1 Overview
3.2 Renewable Energy Initiatives & Generation Capacity Target
3.3 Regulatory & Policy Framework
4. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
4.1 Overview
4.2 Renewable Energy Initiatives & Generation Capacity Target
4.3 Regulatory & Policy Framework
5. BAHRAIN
5.1 Overview
5.2 Renewable Energy Initiatives & Generation Capacity Target
5.3 Regulatory & Policy Framework
6. KUWAIT
6.1 Overview
6.2 Renewable Energy Initiatives & Generation Capacity Target
6.3 Regulatory & Policy Framework
7. OMAN
7.1 Overview
7.2 Renewable Energy Initiatives & Generation Capacity Target
7.3 Regulatory & Policy Framework
8. QATAR
8.1 Overview
8.2 Renewable Energy Initiatives & Generation Capacity Target
8.3 Regulatory & Policy Framework
9. GCC ELECTRICITY GRID
10. EMERGING TRENDS
10.1 Demand for Smart Grid Solutions
10.2 Increasing Investments
10.3 Need for Incentive & Tariff Structure
10.4 Rising Electricity Consumption
Figure 2-1: Global - Solar Radiation Map
Figure 2-2: GCC - Solar Radiation Map
Figure 2-3: GCC - Daily Average Solar Radiation by Country
Figure 2-4: GCC - Monthly Average Wind Speed by Country
Figure 2-5: GCC East- Waste Generation by Type
Figure 2-6: GCC - Municipal Solid Waste Generation by Country
Figure 3-1: Saudi Arabia – Solar Radiation Map
Figure 3-2: Saudi Arabia - Desalination Cost by Solar Power Based Technology, US$/m3
Figure 3-3: Saudi Arabia Renewable Energy Capacity Target (GW), 2018, 2020, 2027 & 2032
Figure 3-4: Saudi Arabia – Renewable Energy Capacity by Fuel (GW), 2030
Figure 3-5: Saudi Arabia – Renewable Energy Capacity by Fuel (GW), 2032
Figure 3-6: Saudi Arabia – Renewable Energy Capacity by fuel (%), 2032
Figure 3-7: Saudi Arabia - Solar PV & Solar Thermal based Power Generation Capacity (GW), 2032
Figure 3-8: Saudi Arabia - Solar Power Generation Capacity Target (GW), 2020 & 2032
Figure 3-9: Saudi Arabia - Share of Solar Power in Electricity Generation, 2020
Figure 3-10: Saudi Arabia - Share of Solar Power in Electricity Generation, 2032
Figure 3-11: Saudi Arabia - Renewable Energy Investment, US$ Billion
Figure 4-1: UAE - Power Generation Capacity Additions, (MW)
Figure 4-2: UAE - Abu Dhabi Renewable Energy Target, 2020
Figure 4-3: UAE - Dubai Renewable Energy Target, 2030
Figure 4-4: UAE - Dubai Share of Solar Power in Electricity Installed Capacity, 2020 & 2030
Figure 4-5: UAE – Solar Radiation Map
Figure 4-6: UAE - Share of Nuclear Power in Total Energy Matrix, 2020
Figure 4-7: UAE - Renewable Energy Sector Investment, US$ Billion
Figure 4-8: UAE - Dubai Electricity Generation Capacity by Fuel, 2030
Figure 5-1: Bahrain - Percentage Change in Electricity Consumption, 2000-2011
Figure 5-2: Bahrain – Electricity Generation Capacity (MW), 2008-2011
Figure 5-3: Bahrain - Electricity Consumption (GWh), 2008-2010
Figure 5-4: Bahrain - Peak Load (MW), 2008-2011
Figure 5-5: Bahrain - Monthly Average Daily Global Radiation and Average Sunshine Hours
Figure 5-6: Bahrain - Mean Annual Wind Speed by Month
Figure 5-7: Bahrain - Share of Renewable Energy in Electricity Matrix, 2030
Figure 6-1: Kuwait - Oil Consumption in Power Generation (%), 2010 & 2020
Figure 6-2: Kuwait – Electricity Generation Capacity (MW), 2010 & 2011
Figure 6-3: Kuwait – Solar Radiation Map
Figure 6-4: Kuwait - Share of Renewable Energy in Electricity Matrix, 2020 & 2030
Figure 6-5: Kuwait - Kuwait Renewable Energy Investments, US$ Million
Figure 7-1: Oman - Peak Demand for Electricity (MW), 2010 & 2011
Figure 7-2: Oman - Electricity Generation Capacity Addition by Projects ( MW), 2016
Figure 7-3: Oman - Share of Renewable Energy in Electricity Matrix, 2020
Figure 7-4: Oman - Solar Radiation Map (MWh/m2)
Figure 8-1: Qatar - Electricity Generation Capacity (MW), 2008-2011
Figure 8-2: Qatar - Electricity Peak Load (MW), 2008-2011
Figure 8-3: Qatar – Solar Radiation Map
Figure 8-4: Qatar - Renewable Energy Investments, US$ Billion
Figure 8-5: Qatar – Share of Renewable Energy in Electricity Matrix, 2030
Figure 9-1: GCC - Electricity Demand (MW), 2020 & 2028
Figure 9-2: GCC - Interconnection Grid
Figure 10-1: GCC - Renewable Energy Investments by Country
The Middle East countries, due to their arid climatic conditions, enjoy a great deal ofsunlight throughout the year. The solar potential of the GCC countries is supposed to beone of the highest in the world. GCC is a rainless region which experiences clear skies for80% of the year, thus, continuous solar radiation for a major part of the year.The following figure gives the solar radiation throughout the world. It clearly shows thatthe GCC region lies in the highest band of insolation like few other parts of the worldexperience. The total solar radiation is at 18 TWe and GCC forms a major part of this dueto the expansive desert like topography.
The solar radiation that the GCC region receivesis enough to encourage the photovoltaic and concentrating solar power industries in theregion. This gives two options of generating electricity through the solar energy, ampleamounts of which are available and can be exploited thoroughly. As the region is movingtowards renewable energy, solar power is being deemed as the top renewable sourcewhich will be exploited for power production. The results of the solar radiation studieshave encouraged more and more investment in the sector.
The average solar radiation of the GCC countries is among the highest in the world. Theregion receives maximum solar energy from April to August before falling down. Even inthe months preceding and succeeding these, the solar radiation is quite strong. In all, theGCC region receives considerable solar energy for eight months of a year, March throughOctober.
Kuwait’s solar radiation is at the top peaking at above 8000 W hr/m2. Kuwait, thus, hasthe largest potential for solar power generation and considering the size and powerconsumption of the country it will be a boon for the nation. Kuwait’s domesticconsumption and reliance on oil and gas for power consumption can significantly decreasewith the development of solar energy in the country, given its huge solar potential. Itsdirect normal solar radiation is also the highest, making it highly potential for solar powergeneration.
