The Transition in Solar and Wind Energy Use in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCCC)

The Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCCC) are largely engaged in renewable energy compared to other sources of energy for achieving sustainable development, i.e., maintaining balance between environmental, socio-economic and energy security and governance; this include mitigating climate change, reducing air pollution, improving energy access and enhancing energy security. According to IRENA report, by 2030, the GCCC could save 354 million barrels of oil equivalent (a 23% reduction), create more than 220,500 jobs, reduce the power sector's carbon dioxide emissions by 22%, and cut water withdrawal in the power sector by 17% based on the renewables targets already in place. The GCCC have been undertaking renewable energy projects for more than 30 years but recently a trend for increasingly ambitious projects is being witnessed. These are being supported by renewable energy targets, innovative research and development, and investments across the entire industry value chain. The renewable energy targets in GCCC are as follows: Bahrain; 5% by 2025 (250 MW) and 10% by 2035, UAE; 30% by 2030 (5000 MW), KSA; 30% by 2040 (5400 MW), Oman 10 by 2020 (600 MW), Kuwait; 15% by 2030 (11,000 MW) and Qatar; 20% by 2030 (1800 MW). The paper highlight on the vast investment and applications carried in GCCC which can be considered as a transition phase in solar and wind energy use in these countries. It also suggests advantageous investments in sustainability in GCCC like investing in Electric Vehicle, Building Integrated PV or Building Integrated Wind Turbine, Rooftop PV for small −scale installation, and Solar and Wind Water Desalination.

The Critical Minimum Effort for Energy Poverty Challenge in India

The Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011 shows the extent of deprivations of rural India. Around 73.4 % of families are residing in rural India, where over 77 million households depend on kerosene for lighting; 1 million use wood and as many as 1.2 million households in India remain completely in the dark. Improvement in - Access, Availability, Adequacy, and Quality of energy can contribute to poverty reduction from various aspects. From a policy-making perspective increasing access to modern energy services require, first, the integration of energy access into national development strategies, and then strong and sustainable financial, institutional, and technology frameworks must be set up. The restatement of the theory of critical minimum effort is to make a plan for the effort that needs to break the environment of inertia of energy poverty. This paper discusses the minimum effort necessary to achieve a steady secular supply of basic energy requirements for people in need. It is alarming fact that today billions of people lack access to the most basic energy services, electricity, and clean cooking facilities, and, worse, this situation is set to change very little over the next 20 years. This paper explains how to set the needed change in the orientation and execution for the service delivery mechanism of energy. Aims: The restatement of the theory of critical minimum effort as a plan to achieve a steady secular supply of basic energy requirements for people in need. Study Design: Descriptive analysis. Place and Duration of Study: Macro-level analysis on India based on Socio-Economic and caste census of 2011. Methodology: Review-driven theoretical analysis. Conclusion: Restates those large-scale actions are needed to take people out of the vicious circle of energy poverty.

Energy price modelling in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic literature review

The energy market in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is not meeting the demands of the region’s growing population. Energy access remains a significant challenge, with most people on the continent still reliant on biomass and other traditional forms of energy. Paradoxically, research has found that the African continent has the highest potential for renewable energy generation. For this energy to be commercialized effectively, there is a need to understand energy price modelling in the SSA context. Our initial review of Literature showed that energy price modelling has received little attention in SSA. This paper, therefore, fills this gap by using a systematic literature review to consolidate knowledge on how energy price modelling has been applied in the SSA context. The systematic literature review results reveal four commonly used models: time series, Artificial Neural Network, Hybrid Iterative Reactive Adaptive (HIRA), and Hybrid models. Across the 46 SSA countries, governments have applied these models to price electricity and petroleum at the national level. However, these models have not been applied to renewable energy markets. Neither have they been applied at the household level. In the discussion, we hypothesize that price modelling can be used at the household level to improve energy decision-making. For this to work, price modelling should be simplified, user-friendly, and accessible to households. In conclusion, we recommend that SSA governments develop a more holistic view of energy price modelling to better harness the potential of renewables. They can do this through effective stakeholder engagement that includes the needs of small businesses and households. The main lessons drawn from this review include the possibility of using energy price modelling technology as a pathway to encouraging energy transitions to renewable energy in informal settlements in Africa. Using technology to bring the price modelling closer to the people is also an important element in facilitating effective transition to renewable energy. Finally, including the members of the community in pricing through creation of awareness on the models used and popularizing technology that can help in predictive pricing will help in creating better and faster energy transitions.

Cultural and Economic Barriers in Switching to Clean Cooking Energy: Does Women’s Agency Make a Difference?

The major objective of this study is to identify and analyze cultural and economic barriers to sustained adoption of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) as the primary clean cooking energy in India, and examining underpinning values and norms in socio-technical energy system of the country. In 2016, the Government of India introduced a mega scheme called Ujjwala for clean cooking energy with LPG connects in women’s name. This policy, however, experienced limited implementation, but did lead to enhancing women’s agency in many areas. Women’s agency is defined briefly as their ability to set goals, develop capacities, and act on their defined goals to realize desired outcomes in wellbeing and capabilities. In the case of switching to clean cooking energy, the question can be posed as: as women are the ones who carry out most of the onerous work of collecting and cooking with wood, are they able to make decisions on the adoption of clean cooking fuel, that enhance their agency and the wellbeing of their families? Male-centred cultural and economic norms can be changed by the exercise of women’s agency, when (1) women have unmediated asset ownership rights to land, houses, and energy technology; (2) they are organized in groups for earning cash incomes and energy access; (3) they have acquired new knowledge, skills, and finances to acquire and operate new technologies; and (4) women have experienced the effects of policy change addressing gendered norms.

The governance of energy transition: lessons from the Nigerian electricity sector

Background The rising need for transition towards more sustainable energy sources requires a rethink in the governance of energy systems. Arguably, policy makers have very important roles in governing transitions in any given society through established institutional frameworks. It has also been argued that energy infrastructure choices are determined by institutional dynamics and structures. However, what are the underlying influences required to change energy systems and what lessons can we draw from them for the governance of energy transition? This study focuses on understanding the dynamics of energy transition governance in the Nigerian electricity sector with the aim of drawing lessons that impact on energy transition and energy systems change. Methods Using explorative research tools, this study investigates the dynamics of energy transition governance in the Nigerian electricity sector with the aim of drawing lessons that impact on energy transition and energy systems change. Data from primary and secondary sources in documentary archives as well as other published sources that are linked with the provision of the Nigerian historical energy infrastructure were used for the analysis in order to draw lessons on energy transition dynamics in Nigeria. Results The study revealed that there were three important factors that had a direct impact on energy transition and energy systems change in Nigeria’s electricity sector. These are: (1) Changing perceptions and goals (during the period leading up to Nigeria’s independence, 1890–1960s); (2) Direct government interventions in energy infrastructure provisions (1940s–1970s); and (3) Major changes in market rules (from 2005 and beyond). Conclusions The study concludes by highlighting that: (1) there is a need for government institutions to tackle energy access issues that address the needs of the poor; (2) it is imperative to explore technological options that are more sustainable; and (3) there is a need to address energy consumption patterns that are more energy intensive. Indeed, available energy resources, technological changes in electricity supply systems, and the ‘geographies of energy’ are major factors that influence energy production and consumption dynamics. All of them needs should be considered, as energy decisions are primarily political choices.