Renewable Energy Development in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: Status, Barriers, and Policy Options

Aisha Al-Sarihi and Noura Mansouri
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Aisha Al-Sarihi: Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore, 29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Block B #06-06, Singapore 119620, Singapore
Noura Mansouri: King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, Riyadh 11672, Saudi Arabia

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—hold almost 30% of the world’s total proven oil reserves and around 20% of its total proven natural gas reserves. They are also endowed with a high abundance of renewable energy resources such as solar and wind. Yet, the GCC’s primary energy consumption is still dominated by fossil fuels, and the share of renewable energy still does not exceed 1%. Drawing on secondary data, including journal articles, governmental and companies’ websites, and reports and newspaper articles, this paper assesses the reasons behind their underutilization of renewable energy resources. Whereas technical and economic feasibility issues had been identified as the main barriers to slow the uptake of renewable energy technologies in the GCC, this paper uncovered that various additional factors have remarkably influenced such delays. High hydrocarbon subsidies, low electricity tariff structure, fragmented energy policy, the absence of dedicated renewable energy regulator and regulatory framework, and a highly controlled power market are major barriers to renewable energy adoption in the GCC. The paper concludes with policy options to inform scaling up the adoption of renewable energy in the GCC.

Keywords: renewable energy; Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); barriers; policies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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