Solar Energy Development in Sultanate of Oman - Case Study Example

Solar Еnеrgy Dеvеlорmеnt in Sultаnаtе of Оmаn: Literature Review Student’s name Academic Qualification A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree Institution Date of Submission Supervisor’s Name Table of Contents Solar Еnеrgy Dеvеlорmеnt in Sultаnаtе of Оmаn: Literature Review 1 Background Information about Solar Energy 3 Introduction to Solar Power Production 4 Sultanate Oman 6 Sultanate Oman is heavily depended on oil and fossil fuels for the generation of electricity. The country produces around 5000 MW per year. The Oman’s “Vision 2020” guidelines have major an aim of producing 10% of the total energy needs using renewable strategies by the year 2020. Consequently, Oman is the only Gulf nation with a ministry in charge of climate and environmental protection. The energy consumption in Oman increased to 18, 500 GWh in 2011. This is expected to increase further (Charabi & Al-Badi, 2014). 7 Public Understanding of Renewable Energy 8 Renewable Energy in Different Countries 10 Public Acceptance of Renewable Energy 12 Bibliography 16 Background Information about Solar Energy Due to the increase in the use of current technology, demand for electricity has increased. Similarly, consumption of electricity in commercial and domestic sectors has significantly increased. The environmental effect of this increase in demand for electricity is varied. The use of fossil fuels and coal to produce electricity causes global warming and change in climate. In most places around the world, very little effort is being put to curb these adverse effects. For this reason, it is imperative to explore alternative sources of energy, which could have less negative effect on the environment (Evans, 2007). Solar power refers to the energy made when solar radiation is changed into heat energy by means of thermal procedures or power through electric methodologies. Solar energy depicts a few energy creation strategies that utilize the sun's radiation. It has been utilized as a part of conventional development for a considerable length of time; however, in developed nations, interest has changed with the cost of fossil fuel (Al et al., 2014). The utilization of solar energy for passive heating has impacted the construction of homes and public structures in numerous parts of the world. The most effective residences verifiably have been outlined in the northern parts of the houses, with expansive windows confronting south and little windows in the walls arranged toward the north. This basic building strategy has decreased the requirement for different sources of energy to produce heat (Bouzguenda, 2012). The modern development and financial success of the Western nations amid the twentieth century brought about a huge departure from this kind of development and a synchronous increment in the utilization of power and fuel to direct home temperatures (Olmsted, United States, & California State University, 1980). The 21st century could flag a comeback to this kind of forgotten energy utilization. Introduction to Solar Power Production Nations in the Arabian Gulf have been using renewable energy for more than 30 years. Nevertheless, a pattern for progressively increasing utilization of renewable energy is being witnessed today. These are being upheld by renewable energy targets, creative innovative work, and investments over the whole region. Growing a renewable energy sources in the Gulf will move the world closer to understanding the capability of renewable energy as a fuel source. For instance, the renewable energy capacity in the Gulf nations is as follows: Kuwait is 70MW, Qatar 100MW, Bahrain 25MW, Saudi Arabia 54 GW and UAE 100MW. Similarly, Sultanate Oman has a capacity of between 100 to 200 MW. This energy capacity counts to about 5-7% of the total energy demands of the nations (Bhutto et al., 2014). The UAE has the most aggressive renewable energy system in the Arabian Gulf. A principle guide to this is the accessibility of natural gas. It is evaluated that the need for regular gas will increase to 180 billion m3 per day in 2020. This implies that, even with the productions from the Dolphin Gas Project, the country will battle to take care of the demand (Bhutto et al., 2014). Moreover, and in spite of the fact that the UAE holds a portion of the biggest reserves of natural gas on the planet, the nation wants to enhance its energy blend past hydrocarbon-based power era, including renewable energy. The improvement and advancement of green innovation is considered as intends to achieve this. UAE's leading project is located in Masdar City, a worldwide clean innovation centre and home to IRENA. It intends to be the world's first carbon-unbiased city by depending on sun oriented, wind and other renewable energy assets. Its exploration incorporates manageability creation, energy transmission and conveyance, energy stockpiling, energy productivity and bio-materials. The anticipated expense of the venture is 22 billion dollars and will bring about reserve funds of about 2 billion dollars in oil by 2020 (Mohamed, 2013). On the other hand, Qatar has the objective to be a leader in the renewable energy sources enclosure by attempting to make itself as the "green capital" of the Arabian Gulf. It starts to position its Qatar Sustain-capacity Assessment Systems on a varied scale in houses development, which gives chances to designers and speculators to actualize energy productive advances and as of now spotlights on sun based, wind and atomic fuelled energy. Numerous ventures are still in the early stages, which give open doors for new investors to join (Al_Badi et al., 2009). Similarly, Saudi Arabia is driving the developing pattern in the area towards the reception of optional and renewable wellsprings of energy soon. There is a distinct fascination to outfit new innovations with a specific end goal to build energy productivity as opposed to diminishing the value utilization. The nation intends to assemble six autonomous power plants to increase production limit, of which a solar plant at the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, with a limit of 850MW and the world's biggest force and desalination extend the Raz Al Khair point in the Eastern Region, with a generation limit of 2,400MW (Gipe & Gipe, 2003). Sultanate Oman The Sultanate of Oman is an Arab nation in the south-eastern shore of the Arabian Peninsula. The population size of the nation is 3.80 million as per the National Statistics and Information Centre. Around 74% of the entire population lives in the urban territories (Charabi & Al-Badi, 2014. The nation's atmosphere, in the same way as its geology is varied, with damp waterfront ranges and a hot, dry desert inside. Despite the fact that rain is mostly light and unpredictable, the Dhofar region in the south gets rainstorm that falls between the months of June and September. In the summer, temperatures can increase to 54 degrees C (Al-Badi, 2013). Oman is oil and gas based economy with creation of around 757,000 barrels every day, representing around 75% of government incomes and contributing around half the GDP. Increase in the worldwide oil costs bring about wide varieties in GDP and per capita income. The GDP has expanded from RO.6, 000 million to RO.23,200 million from 1999 to 2008 as indicated by insights distributed by the Ministry of National Economy. The aspiring Oman renewable energy Project was established to venture into the nation's demonstrated gas reserves and is required to turn into a noteworthy non-oil income source, other than giving support for advancement of gas concentrated businesses (Bhutto et al., 2014). The Economic Vision 2020 of the Sultanate Oman seeks to improve the needs and energy demands of the nation in a long-term premise. These incorporate adjusting government funds, Omanisation, increasing per capita income, speedier selection of innovation, and so forth. The general target is to build up a free broadened economy with an energetic private division, along with biologically sound and adjusted monetary improvement of every segment (Doukas et al., 2012). Use of energy in Sultanate of Oman The requirement for more water and power is natural for all nations in the GCC region, which are adding to their economies and experiencing fast industrialization with developing populace. The tale of the Sultanate of Oman is the same and having turned into the most recent participant in the solar development trend, the nation is equipped to take advantage of the most available natural resources (Kuecken, 1991). Sultanate Oman is heavily depended on oil and fossil fuels for the generation of electricity. The country produces around 5000 MW per year. The Oman’s “Vision 2020” guidelines have major an aim of producing 10% of the total energy needs using renewable strategies by the year 2020. Consequently, Oman is the only Gulf nation with a ministry in charge of climate and environmental protection. The energy consumption in Oman increased to 18, 500 GWh in 2011. This is expected to increase further (Charabi & Al-Badi, 2014). Oman has one of the best solar assets on the planet. For this reason, the extension for solar power in Oman is huge. As the nation's economy keeps on growing, solar power can turn into a critical segment of the nation's energy portfolio. Like India, Oman is assessing the benefit of broadening its energy era to take care of new demand, and it bodes well to create solar power era because of the innovation's expense adequacy (Ramady, 2012). Public Understanding of Renewable Energy Public comprehension comprises of convictions, states of mind, and observations about renewable energy advances. Beliefs are in light of information, or suppositions and feelings which an individual holds to be valid. On the other hand, disposition is a conviction framework or an arrangement of qualities that are towards an object that is a result of science, a project or impressions of science on the general public (Magnas & United States, 1975). Discernments are assurance credited to the convictions. The importance of public understanding cannot be underestimated since it can affect the implementation of projects. Many projects have failed due to lack of understanding among the people, which led to resistance (Jervase & Al-Lawati, 2012); for instance, a Biomass project in Germany, utility-scale solar in California, and the use of CFL bulbs. The Biomass undertaking in Germany was not interesting at all to the people of Germany. In any case such undertakings unexpectedly meet with great resistance in the Germany, where biomass is evidently not acknowledged as "clean energy" by parts of the public, including ecological associations. For example, it was reported that a 18-megawatt coal plant in California could be changed over to biomass now that a settlement had been brought about manageability concerns. The Centre for Biological Diversity demanded that "merchantable timber logs" should not be utilized in the plant, yet the plant administrator says the charges were unimportant in the first place since the organization is denied from doing as such keeping in mind the end goal to be perceived as a "qualified office" for renewable energy (Harper, 2007). New biomass plants encounter great resistance daily in the US. For example, in Oregon some individuals are worried about the effect that proposed second wood-smouldering biomass plant would have on their town's attractiveness. Most people argue that the biomass plants are "prone to keep individuals away" when "palls of smoke and poisonous toxins fill the region." Clearly, the biomass segment has a great deal of persuasion to do before it can be supported fully by the general public (Jervase & Al-Lawati, 2012). Similarly, a recent survey of desert populaces discovered overpowering approbation for utility-scale sun powered improvement. These could be a great advancement towards renewable energy in California. However, various opposition groups, regularly marked NIMBYs, have had a few accomplishment in hindering designers' endeavours to allow and support the WAV. Billions in government advance insurances, private investments and green occupations, also California's initiative in the country's battle against environmental change and outside oil reliance, are in question. Still, there remains a high resistance to wind and sun based energy. Resistance that prevents access to improvement of the WAV's assets could be a key setback both for government’s aim to produce over 30% of the state's power obtained from renewable sources by 2020 and to California's goal-oriented wind and sun powered engineers (Evans, 2007). For economical energy program, all partners must be knowledgeable. Scientific education and level of public comprehension of science urges one to work together with exploratory projects (Al-Badi et al., 2009). Logical learning makes it less demanding for individuals to look at the risks and benefits of the projects, as well as empowers more esteemed judgments in the general public(Jervase & Al-Lawati, 2012). Renewable Energy in Different Countries Most nations have adequate renewable energy sources, which includes solar energy, wind power, geothermal energy, and biomass, and additionally the capacity to create systems to control energy production activities (Doukas et al., 2012). By taking advantage of such energy sources, developing nations can decrease their reliance on oil and regular gas, making energy portfolios that are less vulnerable to value fluctuations. As a rule, these energy sources can be less expensive than fossil fuel energy systems (Musall & Kuik, 2011). In different provincial regions, power network expansions are frequently not pleasant. Off‐grid renewable advancements give a practical and cost‐effective alternative for the diesel generators that future generally is usable in such regions. Renewable energy can likewise help to eliminate other non-sustainable energy sources, for example, lamp oil lights and customary biomass (Musall & Kuik, 2011). Kenya is the leading producer of solar power frameworks around the world. Approxiamtely thirty thousand small solar panels, which produce between 10 to 32W each, are installed in Kenya yearly. Kenya was the first African nation to utilize geothermal power, and still has the biggest introduced limit of geothermal power in Africa at 200 MW, with a capability of up to 10 GW (Kaufman, 1995). Another phenomenal example of an exceedingly thriving nationwide project to empower a rise in renewable power sources is Germany's presentation of an Electricity Feed-in Act in 1991. The Act prompted a development in power production from renewable sources, for example, wind, solar and biomass from 3.0% in the year 1991 to 17% in the year 2009. A comparative project is the one that undertaken in Japan, in which a food in tax was presented in July 2012, subsequent in an increase in renewable power production from $14 to $18 billion in the same year within the energy sector only (Evans, 2007). Similarly, another project was undertaken in the USA. The US Climate Action Plan coordinates the activities of the interior business sector in order to allow sufficient renewable power advancement on open grounds by the year 2020 to supply energy to many houses. On the other hand, renewable energy likewise advances more employment development than different manifestations of power. The International Labor Organization appraises the fact that overall livelihood in the renewable sources segment only may develop from 0.8 million occupations to 3.0 million between the years 2013 and 2020 from the renewable energy projects. Thereafter, there several money related profits of such ventures are evident that will solve the poverty in various nations. For instance, a Clean Development Mechanism extend in Cape Town, South Africa includes retrofitting more than 2,300 ease homes with solar water radiators, subsequently bringing down family costs (European Commission, 1999). Thus, Co-agent renewable energy in the UK is an affirmation to the way that green economy co-agents are the quickest developing piece of the UK co-agent part, having increased by an amazing 25% since 2008. In the same way, Co-agents UK and The Co-agent Group are crusading on this with the expectation that administration will present the arranged premium group tax that urges groups to make environmentally friendly power energy together. In any case, the way that it was given at such a short notice has been a genuine setback for many firms (Doukas et al., 2012). Implementation obstacles and organization are likewise great challenges for little group renewable plans. With complex planning regulations and an extensive variety of associations to manage, the Environment Agency, Distribution Network Operators, nearby powers, and funders among others, it is hard for small set of renewable plans, frequently set up and run by neighbourhood volunteers, to get things set up (Ramady, 2012). Stream Bain Hydro, for instance, has effectively set up a hydro electric plant in North Yorkshire, in spite of spending an expansive extent of its restricted time arranging with power organizations on account of an absence of co-appointment. Public Acceptance of Renewable Energy Public acceptance is perceived as an imperative issue forming the broad usage of renewable energy advances and the accomplishment of energy strategy targets. Besides, it is ordinarily expected that public state of mind need to change to make more radical situations about the usage of renewable energy advancements achievable (Devine-Wright, 2011). Public acceptance is principal to further expanding their support of the general energy production. Development of laboratories to examine public acceptance at the local level and to expand strategy proposals on the most proficient method to create further backing for renewable is necessary. The acceptance and aid form the general public are crucial preconditions for further expanding the support of renewable energy all over the world. An absence of such support may for instance allow techniques for renewable energy establishments, because of lengthy support methodologies and partner discussions. In addition, support from neighbourhood powers depends to a great extent on the commitment and responsibility of the public. The current level of comprehension of public reactions to renewable energy technologies, the regional experience of resistance and assent as well as the routes in which public engagement with renewable energy advancements is developed and honed in the Sultanate Oman, is both restricted and limited, aside from a couple of contextual investigations of coastal wind advancement (Canada, 1985). Notwithstanding a scope of studies being done on public attitudes towards the renewable energy innovations, certified comprehension of the elements of public acknowledgement remains problematic. One purpose behind this is the way that the determinants of public acknowledgement are seldom considered, making note of the numerous individual, mental and context oriented components depicted previously. Future research on public acceptance ought to utilize more creative approaches and abstain from endeavouring to recognize a surfeit or shortfall in broad daylight perspective, but rather test verifiable methods for contemplating energy advances, drawing upon work by Gipe and Gipe (2003) on "people" models and Elliot (2003) on 'social representations' moulding how people consider, discuss and use energy innovations. An illustration is the work of Benecke (2011), in which members, inspected by gender and profession, made compositions from magazines which uncovered distinctive "implications" connected with energy: wellbeing and prosperity; utilization; and individual energy as a representation for restoration. There is likewise a need to better investigate typical, full of feeling and desultory parts of office siting question. Geographers, for example, Barry, Ellis and Robinson (2008) and Avery (2007) have contributed helpful exchanges of typical parts of renewable energy advances, yet there is minimal experimental work considering either typical or emotional parts of renewable energy advancements, except for an early study (Smil, 2010) in which 62% of a specimen of 1286 respondents related wind turbines as an 'indication of advancement', 15% with 'beholding back to the past' and 16% with a mix of both. A few late studies have utilized a rambling way to comprehension public resistance to wind ranches (European Commission, 1999), drawing out how logical and informative parts of the social connection impact the convictions and activities of people and associations included in siting debate. As opposed to seeing public acceptance as an obstruction or boundary towards mechanical advancement, it is better to comprehend the motion of public engagement in renewable energy innovative improvement. This can be encouraged by disciplinary examination utilizing inventive subjective and quantitative social exploration strategies with a more prominent accentuation upon the typical, full of feeling and socially-developed nature of convictions about renewable energy advancements. As Devarakonda et al. observed (2004), there is a need to study renewable energy siting 'from diverse exploratory orders and hypothetical viewpoints, keeping in mind the end goal to add to a more organized seeing about what describes renewable energy siting clashes'. Successful projects starts from listening to and tending to partners' worries. They then involve connecting with those partners, giving opportune data straightforwardly and building trust and validity that will serve the project for the duration of its life time. Frequently, there is a need to convey first about energy approaches and second to reinforce public comprehension of atomic power, particularly its advantages and dangers (Musall & Kuik, 2011). One approach to do this is by discussing about the fundamentals of energy production, national energy arrangement and targets for monetary development in the Member State. 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