Development of the Arab Countries - Essay Example

?Solar Energy in Arab Countries Most of the Arab countries have shown phenomenal and extraordinary development within a pace of few decades. Natural resources have always been doing wonders for a vast majority of the Arab countries. The way Arab countries have used oil to take their economies to the apogee of success is a potential example of this. In the recent times, more and more Arab countries are considering ways to become more environment friendly and greener. A very important idea of the Arab countries in the present age is to drive their plans of concentrated solar power (CSP). Two transmission projects and nine CSP plants with a total power of 1.2 gigawatts are expected to be fully operational in Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco by the year 2018 (“Concentrated Solar Power”). There is huge potential of creation of jobs and establishment of allied manufacturing industries in the Arab countries. With the growth in the export demand of the solar thermal systems, prices are expected to decline. “A World Bank/African Development Bank CSP Investment Plan for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has secured $750 million from the $6.4 billion Climate Investment Funds to support the expensive start-up phase when costs of solar power are high and export markets undeveloped” (“Concentrated Solar Power”). TiSUN, the Austrian solar thermal system manufacturer manufactured the subsidiary TiSUN GCC FZC to serve the Middle Eastern markets. It has been more than twenty years since TiSUN has been creating and selling systems to utilize the solar energy. These solar systems offer fully independent and free solar energy that can be used for a variety of purposes including water heating, backup heating, and cooling. TiSUN is the solar heating specialist from Europe and its quote of export is almost 83 per cent (“Press Releases”). TiSUN founded the solar thermal system in the start of December 2011 in Dubai. The company has been able to successfully implement the initial projects in the region of MENA. One of the main projects running in the Abu Dhabi region has employed Austrian solar systems. Arabian countries are specifically suitable locations for the installation of solar systems because of the abundance of sunlight and favorable weather conditions. Robin M. Welling, the CEO of TiSUN who is involved in the renewable energies’ economics in the Arabian markets explained this in these words, “The countries of the Arabian Gulf are among the sunniest regions in the world. With nine hours per day, the amount of sunshine is much higher than in any European country. This is one reason why the Middle Eastern countries provide the ideal conditions for the installation of solar thermal systems” (Welling cited in “Press Releases”). TiSUN G.C.C. FZC has been distributing the solar thermal systems in numerous Emirates since December 2011 that include Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Abu Dhabi currently has a large project on which TiSUN solar thermal systems are being installed. This project contains a total of 750 houses constructed on the area of six square kilometers, gardens containing pools, various commercial buildings and two private schools. In this area, 28 luxury houses for single families have been supplied with the TiSUN solar thermal system. This system provides the houses with environment friendly hot water. The TiSUN solar thermal system allows each house to produce energy for at least four individuals with the total area of collector surface being eight square meters and a provision of fresh water tanks with the capacity of 500 liters. Percentage of the TiSUN system’s solar fraction is 70. TiSUN G.C.C. FZC’s Managing Director, Bashar Muhtadi expresses his contentment with the positive developments with respect to energy in the markets based in the Middle East in these words, “The integration of solar heating systems in the modern building environment has become a standard in the MENA (Middle East + North Africa) region in the last three years – especially when public institutions, such as schools, hospitals and government buildings are constructed. Thanks to the many hours of sunshine in the Gulf region, solar thermal systems amortize within less than five years and therefore build the ideal solution for energy recovery…For 2013 we see great potential in Qatar, where we are planning some major project for the application of Qatar as the host of the FIFA World Cup in 2022” (Muhtadi cited in “Press Releases”). One of the main exporters of the fossil fuels is the Gulf region. There has occurred an increase in the tendency of the Gulf regions to switch from the use of fossil fuels to renewable energy, as can be evidence from a lot of projects that are currently being executed. The Middle East is witnessing an increase in the demand of solar installations. A variety of construction projects currently running in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have employed greener and more sustainable processes and systems. In light of the current advancements being made in this respect, it can be estimated that it will not take long for the Arab countries to have a major portion of their energy needs met by solar energy. Five countries in the region across the Middle East and North Africa have targeted to raise the percentage of renewable energy from 15 to 20 per cent by the year 2020 (“Concentrated Solar Power”). Sun which is in abundance and is generally perceived as hostile is indeed, the newest source of wealth for the Arab countries. The Arab countries may serve as a launching pad for the mitigation technology that has the tendency to change the global climate. Leader of the initiative of solar energy at the World Bank, Jonathan Walters says, “This is a big plan for a big problem… Its success could be a game changer for the battle against climate change and a game changer for how the Arab world is viewed globally. If the plan can achieve 1.2 gigawatts, that will lead to a transformational installation of several gigawatts of CSP capacity in the region by 2020” (Walters cited in “Concentrated Solar Power”). Works Cited: “Concentrated Solar Power Plan.” The World Bank. n.d. Web. 1 Aug. 2013. . “Press Releases.” TiSUN GmbH. 2013. Web. 1 Aug. 2013. . Read More