Alternative Energy and Possible Sources of Energy Appropriate for Kingdom of Bahrain - Case Study Example

Alternative energy and possible sources of energy appropriate for Kingdom of Bahrain The Kingdom of Bahrain is a major oil producer with 125 million barrels of reliable crude oil reserves. Since the oil was discovered in Bahrain more than 80 years ago, the energy sector has been a success. The country had enjoyed a continuous oil production from its onshore oilfields since 1932. Nevertheless, the domestic reserves of oil are diminishing despite the efficient management of the reserves. Due to the running out of reserves, Bahrain is directing its efforts towards making its energy sector more sustainable. The government of Kingdom of Bahrain has begun organization shake up in this important industry. The responsibility for making decision has been left to a small number of experienced technocrats. This handful number of experts had built a consensus on various investments and privatisation programmes as a measure to ensure that the country’s energy sector would be prepared for the future. In relation to the depleting oil and gas reserves, there is a need for the Kingdom of Bahrain to develop alternate energy category to be use in the future. This research suggests the best class of energy alternatives as well as justifying why they are recommendable. Renewable energy Bahrain is located in the GCC region, and area which is among the hottest and most arid on the planet. The summer temperatures in the region go beyond the 500C while its mean annual temperatures are less than 50mm (Alnaser et al., n.p). Moreover, there is an overall scarcity of fresh water and the production of food on the land is low. In spite of these unfavourable environmental conditions, the country is well-suited to some renewable technologies, preferably those that uses solar and wind resources. The amounts of sunlight in Bahrain are very high than the levels in regions where solar photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies have been extensively executed. Additionally, the country receives a considerable range in hours of full wind load annually as well as wind speed. Studies indicate that regions which experience greater than 1,400 hours annually of full load wind can sustain economically viable wind energy power generation, when utilizing the existing wind power technology. The other aspect that supports the use of renewable energy within the Kingdom of Bahrain is the active role it assumes in research and development of technologies. The country together with the GCC countries engages actively in R&D of technologies. This cooperation is best suited to their particular situations, especially in collaboration with global partners, rather than being passive technology consumer (Ferroukhi, n.p). Such active participation in technology gives Bahrain an edge in using and investing in the use of renewable energy. The Kingdom of Bahrain presently depends on a lot of oil and natural gas for its energy. As a matter of fact, this energy sources are non-renewable meaning they are subject to depletion and may later become very expensive or too dangerous to the environment when exploiting (Doukas, 777). Conversely, renewable energy is not exhaustible and can continually be replenished and will never become deplete. The most appropriate alternative energy that Bahrain should adapt is the solar and wind energy. Bahrain, as well as the States of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), is well endowed with highest levels of solar radiation more than any other place in the globe. In addition, the country also enjoys moderate wind speeds. In relation to this, the country is ought to look at these renewable energies to enhance electricity production and to mitigate pollution emissions from power plants running the natural gas and diesel fuels. In 2008 alone, the Kingdom of Bahrain generates 2800 megawatts of electricity and over 140 million gallons through utilizing fossil fuel as the primary source of energy (Alnaser, Flanagan & Alnaser, 1315-1317). Nonetheless, the rate of population growth rate for the country is projected to be 10 percent annually. This rate implies that the natural gas amount needed to match Bahrain’s demand for energy should be double in the next few years. The development of renewable is still very limited in Bahrain; only a few street lighting are powered using the solar energy. However, a Gulf Research Centre indicated that the country has the potential to produce 33 TWh annually from solar energy or even more than twice the demand for power in 2010. The country can, therefore, create a niche in solar energy to enhanced it is energy sources. Due the highest level of solar radiation in the Kingdom of Bahrain, photovoltaic solar power can be harnessed to generate electricity in the country (Bachellerie, n.p). This source of energy is the fastest growing, and new technologies are being developed at a quick pace. Installation of solar cells is increasing becoming easy as a result of its growing efficiency, transportability as well as flexibility (Ebinger et al., n.p). All the countries that form the GCC have started to invest in solar projects, with the photovoltaic and concentrated solar power being their favourite technology (Bhutto et al., 175). In addition to this, the region can also make use of solar-derived bio-energy and solar-produced hydrogen. Solar energy has the potential to serve the GCC countries as a power source and to form the basis for a new market for export within the Gulf region. Wind is the next best option as an alternative source of renewable energy for the Kingdom of Bahrain. Some researchers connote that the GCC region has a fair to substantial wind resources, especially at the offshore. Moreover, studies also point out that the speeds of wind in this area average about 6 metres per second, although it varies considerably from one country to another. The rate of wind speeds facilitates a viable exploitation of economically viable wind potential. Through projects such as the Independent Power Project, the country can implement wind plants to generate electricity (Alnaser et al., n.p). Furthermore, biofuels and geothermal power production provides another potential sources of alternative energy for Bahrain. Most of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations have interests in the potential of biomass-derived alternatives to fossil transportation fuels. The GCC region included the Bahrain Kingdom is significantly endowed with geothermal potential, although the resource is not fully exploited yet. The country can, therefore, use this valuable commodity to supplement its current energy sources. The other prospective sources of alternative energy for Bahrain include the Smart Grid and Storage. This alternative energy source gives enhancements in the general power system efficiency through superior power demand-side management. Incorporation of storage technologies like the batteries, the smart grid and storage system provides more even distribution of electric load, and less need for peak power production. Bahrain currently experiences a fast infrastructure construction pace, thus can incorporate some of the most sophisticated smart grid technologies that are being developed presently across the globe. Challenges and barriers Although Kingdom of Bahrain has the potential to opt for the alternatives energy, there are also some barriers that hinder its effective implementation. The countries in the GCC region show slow progress in the application of renewable, although they have begun to pick up in the recent past (Reiche, 281). Lack of enough awareness in the region particular by the leaders is one thing that causes the lag. The other factors that attribute to the slow application of the renewable encompasses high initial investment and resistant to change from the traditional energy resources to intermittent. It also entails the unsure source of renewable and clean energy and unavailability of precise regulations and incentives. The other reasons include lack of technical know-how and expertise, unavailability of enough and critical information about prospective and relevant technologies as well as industrial motivation scarcity. What’s more, the GCC countries had only recently begun to consider the significance of solar energy potential in the region. The other barrier to adoption of the alternative source of energy mainly stems from the region. Energy pricing politics and restricted prospect of fiscal policy within the region make the adoption a bit cumbersome. The GCC nations can be categorised as the” rentier states”, implying the governments derives income through renting its natural resources in the international market (Reiche, 2397-2398). The revenue earned from the rents is shared with the nationals through the transfers and incentives to boost economic and political stability. Thus, energy subsidies are mainly directed to promote a wider political balance rather than doing other investments. Most efficient alternative energy Solar energy can best replace the fossil fuel in Kingdom of Bahrain. Studies reveal that solar energy ultimately makes the greatest impact. Energy from solar supplies can take advantages of the enhancements in materials, computing and nanotechnology in a manner that other technologies cannot match it closely. The innovation in the energy sector can be at its best when it can leverage profits in other industries. Bahrain is located in an area where solar concentration is high and therefore with the proper use of the appropriate technology the country stands an opportunity to generate enough energy. In addition, the country has a humble market in which it can expand to scale technology and bring costs down. Conclusion In order to save the depletion of its current sources of energy, which is oil and natural gas, Bahrain needs to diversify its fuel sources. The country needs to initiate renewable energy and invest in its resources. Opportunities to introduce renewable energy for Bahrain mainly prevail in the solar energy, wind power and geothermal power. Solar energy is the number alternative energy source that can be effectively adopted by the country. The Kingdom of Bahrain is situated in a region which experiences a high level of solar concentration. The summer temperatures in the area can rise beyond 500 c making it suitable to be adopted as the principal alternative energy. In addition, Bahrain is located in an area that receives a significant range in hours of full wind load per year, making wind power another alternative source of energy. The country is well endowed with geothermal potential which is not yet fully exploited. It is also worthwhile to note that solar power is the most efficient alternative source of energy to be adopted in Bahrain because most factors support its implementation. Works cited Alnaser, N. W., R. Flanagan, and W. E. Alnaser. "Potential of making—Over to sustainable buildings in the Kingdom of Bahrain." Energy and Buildings 40.7 (2008): 1304-1323. Alnaser, Waheeb Essa, and N. W. Alnaser. 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