Towards sustainable development in the MENA region: Analysing the feasibility of a 100% renewable electricity system in 2030

This study analyzes how the three pillars of sustainable development (economic growth, social justice, and environmental protection) have influenced each other for the past twenty-six years (from 1987 to 2013). The relationship between the triangular pillar of SD can be characterized by “ecological modernization”, “eco-socialism”, and the traditional debate between growth and distribution. This paper examined the correlation analysis of the nine representative variables in the three categories, adopting the cases of twenty-six OECD countries. In particular, the panel analysis (PCSE models) was conducted to identify the seven independent determinants affecting both response (dependent) variables and environmental factors (“CO2 emissions” and “renewable electricity output”). In short, during the entire period, the findings reveal that all economic and social variables did not have a positive impact on reducing CO2 emissions. However, the variables of “employment in industry” and “social expenditure” are effected by the increase of renewable electricity output. Consequently, highlighting the detailed findings different for each set period (1987–2013, 1987–2002, and 2003–2013), this study suggests the implications of the analysis result in the light of the theories of ecological modernization and eco-socialism.

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Success’ Conditions of Microfinance to Fostering Sustainable Development

International Journal of Economics and Finance ◽

10.5539/ijef.v13n1p22 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 22

Author(s):

Mongi Lassoued

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

North Africa ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

World Bank Group ◽

Mena Region ◽

Loan Portfolio ◽

Mena Countries ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Bank Group ◽

The Impact

With a loan portfolio estimated at $124.1 billion in 2018, 139.9 million borrowers benefited from microfinance services, compared to just 98 million in 2009 (World Bank Group, 2018). Despite a low quality portfolio and high borrowers' costs, the portfolio in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) shows a remarkable increase of 20% but with a decrease of 6.6 points (Microfinance Barometer, 2019). Most of empirical studies have focused on the issue of microfinance, and research conducted on the effectiveness of microcredit is surprisingly scarce or even non-existent in the MENA region. In addition, microcredit could lead to sustainable development in the region via an income effect. The main objective of this paper is to determine the impact of microcredit on sustainable development for 10 selected MENA countries over the period 1990-2018. Empirical results paradoxically show a negative effect of microcredit on sustainable development. Although, the limitations of data, the present paper also contributes to the existing literature by advising conditions for the success of microcredit aiming for a better promotion of sustainable development.

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A model of a renewable electricity system for telecom base stations in rural Bangladesh

2014 3rd International Conference on the Developments in Renewable Energy Technology (ICDRET) ◽

10.1109/icdret.2014.6861708 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Shanshil Ahmed Shibly ◽

Md. Nafis Akand ◽

K. M. A. Salam ◽

Hafiz Abdur Rahman

Keyword(s):

Base Stations ◽

Renewable Electricity ◽

Rural Bangladesh ◽

Electricity System

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Microeconomics of electrical energy storage in a fully renewable electricity system

Solar Energy ◽

10.1016/j.solener.2020.05.057 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 206 ◽

pp. 171-180 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

David Timmons ◽

Khalil Elahee ◽

Ming Lin

Keyword(s):

Energy Storage ◽

Electrical Energy ◽

Renewable Electricity ◽

Electrical Energy Storage ◽

Electricity System

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Electric Vehicles as Flexibility Management Strategy for the Electricity System—A Comparison between Different Regions of Europe

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12132597 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (13) ◽

pp. 2597 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Maria Taljegard ◽

Lisa Göransson ◽

Mikael Odenberger ◽

Filip Johnsson

Keyword(s):

Wind Power ◽

Electric Vehicles ◽

Management Strategy ◽

Road Transport ◽

Investment Model ◽

Transport Sector ◽

Renewable Electricity ◽

Technical Limitation ◽

Electricity System ◽

The Uk

This study considers whether electric vehicles (EVs) can be exploited as a flexibility management strategy to stimulate investments in and operation of renewable electricity under stringent CO2 constraints in four regions with different conditions for renewable electricity (Sweden, Germany, the UK, and Spain). The study applies a cost-minimisation investment model and an electricity dispatch model of the European electricity system, assuming three types of charging strategies for EVs. The results show that vehicle-to-grid (V2G), i.e., the possibility to discharging the EV batteries back to grid, facilitates an increase in investments and generation from solar photovoltaics (PVs) compare to the scenario without EVs, in all regions except Sweden. Without the possibility to store electricity in EV batteries across different days, which is a technical limitation of this type of model, EVs increase the share of wind power by only a few percentage points in Sweden, even if Sweden is a region with good conditions for wind power. Full electrification of the road transport sector, including also dynamic power transfer for trucks and buses, would decrease the need for investments in peak power in all four regions by at least 50%, as compared to a scenario without EVs or with uncontrolled charging of EVs, provided that an optimal charging strategy and V2G are implemented for the passenger vehicles.

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