The Cities of Renewable Energy - Essay Example

The Cities of Renewable Energy: A Starting Point: Where other nations around the globe and indeed other cities have struggled with the means by whichthey can implement a green energy technology/renewable energy, Qatar is in a unique position with respect to this particular dilemma. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that the nation itself is developing and a unique manner. Due to the overall level of wealth that Qatar has been able to accrue over the past several decades, the nation is expanding at a rapid rate (Hashem 2015). Further, rather than merely adding to the existing infrastructure that exists within many of Qatar’s main cities, the nation itself has chosen to build new cities and form entirely new residential and commercial areas where none previously existed. This growth plan is of course optimistic but presents unique opportunities for the development and consideration of green/renewable energy alternatives that this infrastructure and society can leverage. Due to the fact that these cities are truly being born from nothing, the potential for developing a renewable and green infrastructure base is perhaps higher as compared to any other region of the world. Yet, opportunity alone does not create a guarantee that green and renewable energy will be the locus of interest for the developers of these respective cities. Instead, the remainder of this chapter will reveal the way in which approach determines whether or not the renewable/green infrastructure and energy provision that Qatar will engage within its new and developing cities will ultimately be successful or not (Koch 2014; Alzubaidi2013). Short Term Outlook: Whereas it is of course tempting to utilize Qatar’s mass levels of financial reserves as a means of purchasing the most advanced green and renewable energy systems that are currently available, this particular temptation must at least partially be resisted. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that Qatar is a unique nation within unique latitude that exhibits a litany of unique environmental challenges. First and foremost among these is of course the fact that Qatar is a relatively hot climate that has very little rainfall and must therefore be considerate of the overall cyber resources that are involved in any means of energy production. Accordingly, one of the most effective processes that can be pursued is to ensure that Qatar utilizes targeted metrics and goals with respect to what it envisions as the future of sustainable and green energy within the nation. As such, rather than merely leveraging the state treasury as a means of purchasing the most efficient systems, a thorough and complete list of metrics and targeted goals must first be outlined (Attallah et al, 2013). For instance, nations that have not engaged in a thorough level of analysis with respect to targeted goals and metrics have found themselves with extraordinarily costly green and renewable energy sources that do not readily lend themselves for further development or changes that the future might exhibit. Likewise, this relative level of short-sightedness created a dynamic in which growing cities and changing demands that engages the positive benefits that might otherwise have been realised through a more targeted and goal oriented analysis of the metrics that were hope to be achieved. Projections: Another necessary aspect of green and renewable energy implementation within the nation of Qatar and its rapidly growing cities has to do with the importance of projections. Whereas it is ultimately impossible to determine how the global marketplace can change it shift in the coming years and demographics may be represented within decades of the future, it is possible and necessary to at least engage with a consideration of these dynamics. For instance, if it is projected that a certain region of Qatar, or indeed an entire city, will grow at a disproportionate rate and experience changes can industry commensurate with a decrease or increase in overall energy needs, decision-makers need to be keenly aware of these projections as a function of determining the renewable energy strategy that Qatar should pursue. Once again, rather than merely dismissing this particular process as nothing more than guesswork, it is necessary for stakeholders within planning and decision-making to ensure that as many factors as possible are considered and the future development of Qatar and its regions are well understood. In effect, not only can massive amounts of money be saved as a function of performing this projection of analysis, it is also possible to engage any further level of economic development and planning at the same time. As such, stakeholders within the economic sectors of Qatar will face a benefit with regard to the way in which the future economy of the nation develops and how individuals within key sectors are affected (Alkhalifa&Aspinwall2000). The current population of Qatar is likely to double in the coming few decades. This high population growth makes the study of renewable and alternative energy resources of high significance because when the population will grow at such a rapid speed, the current sources of energy are likely to become short of demand. Therefore, more and more efforts need to be taken to come up with alternate sources of energy for Qatar. “According to the preliminary results of a census, there are now believed to be 1.69 million people living in Qatar compared to 774,000 when the last census was taken in 2004” (Hyslop 2010). One of the main contingent factor of this prospectus for population growth is the fact that direct change must be engaged within Qatar based upon this demographic shift and growth; due in part to the fact that changes in energy needs and the growth and renewability of energy demands immediate planning and construction as a means of targeting and meeting these metrics. For instance, even with traditional forms of power provision, licensing and other requirements. Education of the Populace: In order for definitive and lasting changes to take place, it will be necessary to integrate a level of change with regard to education of the Qatari populace. In such a manner, regardless of the alternative energy approach that is promoted or the green energy strategy that is developed, the degree and extent to which the populace supports and is engaged by such a dynamic shift is an essential component towards whether or not it can eventually realize success. Likewise, if solar energy is deemed as a necessary plan for meeting future energy needs, rather than merely engaging with it and foisting this change upon the general populace unannounced, it will be necessary to gain stakeholder buy in. This element can be accomplished within a number of ways; however, education of the populace is the most effective (Lindsey 2013). Another reason why the nation of Qatar must be focused on future goals and the means by which demographics are predicted to be evidenced within the future turnaround time that exists between decision-making with regard to energy strategy and actual implementation taking place. For instance, within developed regions of western Europe and/or the United States, it takes a good span of time to shift from one source of energy to another. It is natural because finding alternate energy sources and developing policies regarding the use of new energy sources takes some time. Various factors are considered while developing and implementing new energy policies, such as, population growth estimate, financial resources, and availability of land and required resources of policy implementation. “Combined with rising population levels, climate change will ag­gravate existing challenges regarding water scarcity and food security and raise new challenges through adverse impacts on human health, economic develop­ment and the environment” (Meltzer andHultman 2014). Now, if a sudden fluctuation or drop in the cost of existing fossil fuel resources are to be evidenced, the nation of Qatar would experience significant shortfalls with respect to its budget and planning that might exhibit towards seeking to differentiate alternative energy strategy within the future. Alternative Forms of Energy and the Decision of which to Pursue: Another noted difficulty with regard to the future prospectus energy policy and renewability within the nation of Qatar has to do with the fact that there are many alternatives that can be pursued; none of which have been determined to definitively speak to the needs of the population means by which energy is produced and consumed. With this in mind, the first stage of any renewable energy strategy will necessarily be too narrow and determine what approach is most effective for the nation. Similarly, secondary and tertiary for should also be selected; with commensurate levels of finance and directed to these in a diminishing manner. The underlying reason is attempting to accomplish several different forms of renewable energy strategy, planning, and implementation all warrants has to do with the fact that technology is continually changing and shift (Global Data Events Analysis 2012) As such, the nation of Qatar would find itself at a new disadvantage if it were to pursue solitary energy policy within the decades. Invariably, if solar are selected, changes in technology would create a situation by which tens of billions of pounds of potential early investment could become effectively undone with respect to a breakthrough in technology and the feasibility of solar power generation. By seeking to hedge bets of renewable energy by leveraging alternative forms of energy generation at the same time, the nation of Qatar is invariably increasing the overall level of investment would otherwise directed towards creating a network or grid of renewable energy; however, it is also tangentially decreasing the potential that the efforts that makes towards achieving this end would otherwise be ineffective in the long term. Business Relations and Energy Policy: Even though it is invariably true that the nation government of Qatar is the ultimate consumer renewable energy, and is also the current consumer of traditional forms of energy, the role and impact that industry and business will have with respect to the adaptation towards different sources of energy is essential in understanding the way in which this entire process will take place. Ultimately, the success or failure renewable energy implementation plans and the degree and extent to which they are adopted are not only contingent upon the issue of education that has thus far been exhibited within the analysis. Instead, as with any new practice, or even fashion, first adopters play a pivotal role with respect to the way in which consumers and other stakeholders within the economy come to the renewable energy as a complement function of the way in which life within Qatar is defined. For instance, many of the state owned industries and businesses within Qatar can play a pivotal role in seeking to shift public opinion towards renewable energy and its overall potential within the nation; long before the wide scale implementation of renewable energy plan is in fact (Hossein et al, 2012). In addition, for the development of renewable energy and the attempts to make a nation-wide strategy, the private sector can also be engaged with respect to accomplishing this particular goal. As an illustration, one can consider the way in which the government of Qatar has provided powerful incentives as a mean of encouraging private industry to become a primary motivating force with respect to renewable energy and the means by which this particular facet of energy production will come to be a mainstay of the Qatari state within the coming years. Direct incentives and other fiduciary tactics can be used as the means of creating a dynamic system in which the overall requirements of the energy sector can be decreased and the overall efficiency of industry and business can be increased. Additionally, the benefit of this particular approach has to do with the fact that the Qatari utilities face a situation in which extending the grid to each and every entity is not nearly as costly as it might otherwise be in these entities had made no attempt at energy independence in the past (Berrebi et al, 2009). As a means of learning from this example and implementing it within the nation of Qatar, it is necessary for policymakers and decision-makers with the government to ensure that significant fiduciary incentives exist for business and private sector/industry as a means of encouraging the development of renewable forms of energy and moving the dynamic of the nation within direction. This has several potential benefits. The first of these benefits relates to the situation that has been defined above; with respect to the case of Qatar. The second relates to the way in which stakeholders within these businesses will come to understand the tacit benefits that renewable energy is able to provide the economy and our spirits. First-hand understanding this dynamic, individuals will be much more likely to create a positive understanding of the means by which renewable energy can directly benefit both the environment as well as the bottom line of industry and business. This would create a dynamic situation in which the best practices of energy conservation and renewable energy technology could be diffused within society and allow for a gradual osmosis of the technology; prior to any government mandated changes that might otherwise meet a certain degree of resistance. Targeted Goals and Metrics: In terms of targeted goals and metrics, it is necessary for the government and energy sector of Qatar to set these within the very near future; due in part to the fact that any changes will take years to accomplish; and as such should be thoroughly planned in order to maximize efficiency. Beginning with the last recommendation that has been made, it will be necessary for the nation of Qatar to encourage private sector engagement prior to any level of infrastructure investment in renewable energy and/or educational program seeking to shift the way in which individual consumers consider this particular facet of energy generation. Qatar needs to make use of renewable energy sources to meet the demands of energy in the coming years (Marafia and Ashour 2003). The underlying reason behind this is to allow the level of endogenous adaptation; without the spectre of requirements that might otherwise discourage individuals from adopting technology that could facilitate lower costs and a decreased negative impact upon the environment. This particular phase should be expected to last throughout the entire process; however, first few years are always important; as they have a profound impact upon affecting the way in which the culture of a country comes to view the issue of renewable energy and how business and industry conducts its own micro energy policy (Marafia and Ashour 2003). The three main streams of energy resources that should be analysed include economic stream, financial stream, and energy analysis (Menegaki 2008). Ongoing with this process, and educational focus should be presented that also stands the link of the entire process; however long it might take. After these two stages have been conducted, leveraging the investment fund that has been indicated above will be required as a means of providing necessary equipment, research and development, and knowledge with respect to renewable energy generation. Multiple different avenues will need to be pursued; however, it is the expectation of this together analyst that solar will most likely be the means by which the majority of this renewable energy can be produced. This particular stage will begin approximately 10 years after the project itself has been determined and relevant research and development has been conducted in order to determine the most efficient means of renewable energy generation within the region. Conclusions: From the information that has been indicated above, it is clear and apparent that the issue of renewable energy generation within the nation of Qatar is infinitely more complex than merely specifying a particular direction that the government should pursue and allocating funding to it. As such, the broader requirement is fundamentally analyse and reconfigure the system so that it is able to promote the needs of all individuals, educate them accordingly, and provide exemplification’s for the way in which renewable energy can efficiently and productively meet the needs of industry and business and thereby tangentially meet the needs of the broader populace. In tandem with this, it is also necessary to provide adequate funding with respect to research and development and seek to diversify energy program; so that it is not overly reliant upon one particular form of renewable energy generation. Furthermore, it is also necessary to reference the fact that unique dynamics in the global economy will likely create another situation in which hardship is evidenced within the coming years. As a direct result the fact that this is a multi-decade project that will require continuous and varying levels of sponsorship, the need to create a sub fund within the project as a function of countering these economic stress is an essential complement in seeking to promote the overall success of the project and ensuring that it is able to remain relevant; irrespective of the hardships that might be faced economically during a specific period of time. All in all, each of these steps is a necessary component seeking to develop a renewable energy policy that is robust and able to withstand pressures from within and from without. However, these difficulties in and of themselves provide unique opportunities with respect to the way in which Qatar can seek to address the. 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