KSA taps the sun to meet a third of its energy needs

[al-Hasani]

Saudi Arabia to build world’s first large scale solar powered desalination plant​

By Giles Parkinson on 22 January 2015

A Saudi Arabia company is to build the world’s first large-scale solar-powered water desalination plant, using solar PV to provide much of its power needs during daylight hours.

Advanced Water Technology, the commercial arm of the King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology has commission Spanish renewable energy group Abengoa to incorporate the plant into the $130 million facility.

Abengoa will build the 15MW solar PV facility, with tracking, and expects it to provide all the desalination plant’s energy needs during peak output –which in Saudi Arabia will be for much of the daylight hours.

​

The plant, to supply Al Khafji City in the north-east of the country, will produce 60,000 cubic metres of water a day. It is due to be commissioned in 2017.

Desalination is a costly, energy intensive process that is usually powered by fossil fuel baseload plants – although many “offset” this power with green certificates (as in Australia). Carnegie Wave Energy is incorporating a desalination process in its first wave energy plant near Perth.

The International Renewable Energy Agency says that less than 1 per cent of the world’s desalination is powered by renewables, and most of these plants – in Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey, Abu Dhabi and the Canary Islands – are very small scale.

Saudi Arabia currently burns 1.5 million barrels of oil per day at its desalination plants, which provides 50 per cent to 70 per cent of its drinking water. Total desalination demand in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring gulf countries and north Africa is expected to treble to 110 million cubic metres a day by 2030.

Abengoa said the incorporation of solar PV would be a “global pioneering project” and would significantly reduce the operating costs of the plant.

Saudi Arabia is looking to replace much of its domestic generation, based around highly polluting oil-fired generators and gas, with solar and nuclear. A leading Saudi company, ACWA Power, last week announced it would build a 200MW solar plant in Dubai for a cost of 5.84c/kWh, the world’s lowest price for large-scale solar.

Saudis to build world's first large scale solar powered desalination plant : Renew Economy

@Rakan.SA @JUBA @Altamimi @Gasoline @Bubblegum Crisis @Arabian Legend @Yzd Khalifa @Full Moon @Frosty etc.

This thread might interest you.

 

[al-Hasani]

Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions​

Nick Butler | Feb 15 12:00 |

Saudi Arabia's newly appointed King Salman meets with US President Barack Obama © SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
​

Having talked vaguely for many years about the possibility of developing nuclear power as an alternative source of energy, it seems that Saudi Arabia under its new leadershipmay finally be taking steps towards what would be one of the world’s largest nuclear building programmes over the next decade.

A new study, to be published by the International Centre for Security Analysis (ICSA) at King’s College London and based on research gathered from open sources across the web and social media demonstrates that the Kingdom is pressing ahead with plans to add 16GW by the early 2030s.

In terms of energy policy the Saudi move is unsurprising. The country now uses 3m barrels a day of oil — more per capita than any other country on earth — to meet the bulk of its energy requirements, including power generation. With total production of some 9.5 mbd, that means that a third of total output is absorbed locally, reducing the level of potential exports. The limited export level also constrains the ability of the country to act as a swing producer — something we have seen over the past six months. The rate of demand growth, backed by population growth (according to the official Saudi Government numbers) of 2.1 per cent per year, could easily push that figure up above 4 mbd within the decade if nothing else changes.

Recent moves suggest both that there is serious concern about this over dependence on oil, and also, implicitly acknowledge that the long proclaimed plans to develop natural gas as a substitute for oil have failed. The Saudis claim to hold some 290 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves but despite repeated exploration efforts actual gas production remains limited, raising questions about the reliability of this estimate and that for the oil reserves (298bn bbl). Since 1982 the Saudis have withheld detailed data and have given external analysts no opportunity to test the claim.

The shift to nuclear therefore has some logic behind it. Saudi Arabia can afford the capital cost and by using nuclear can avoid the pitfalls of dependence on other countries for imported gas. General terms for partnerships with potential suppliers have been signed and there will now no doubt be a frenzied competition for the multibillion dollar contracts. The decisions on who will get the contracts will be a fascinating indication of Saudi foreign policy priorities under King Salman.

Although there is inevitably scope for serious scepticism about whether 16GW (and another 40GW of solar power capacity) will actually be built and commissioned by the early 2030s. Despite a Royal Decree published in 2010, very little actual progress has been made. A number of sites have been provisionally earmarked, in Jabail, Tabuk and Jizan, but no construction has taken place. However there are signs that the plans are being given new impetus. In one of his first acts, King Salman has dismissed the entire Supreme Council of the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE). The King has made no statement on nuclear policy since coming to power but was notably involved in the signing of a nuclear co-operation agreement with Japan in 2010.

The pace of development may still be uncertain, but what matters more is the direction of policy. The decision to go for nuclear power may be eminently logical in energy policy terms but it will also, unavoidably, raise concerns about a potential arms race in the region.

Publicly, Saudi denies any intention of developing nuclear weapons capability, but KA-CARE made clear that the country’s intention is to oversee a large proportion of the fuel cycle domestically from the outset and to be 65 per cent self reliant by 2032. Such an aspiration is valid under the terms of the Non Proliferation Treaty but will inevitably provoke scrutiny. The decision contrasts with the choice by the UAE — another state developing nuclear power capacity — to buy from outside rather than seeking a fuel cycle capability of its own.

Regional circumstances raise the possibility that the Saudis could at some point feel that nuclear weapons capability was a necessary part of their defence strategy. Despite the obvious desire of President Obama to conclude a deal which would stop Iran developing any form of nuclear weapons capability, no agreement has been reached and it is not clear if negotiations will continue or not beyond the end of June. The reluctance of the US to engage actively in support of its regional allies causes concern, not just in Israel but also among Iran’s neighbours in the Gulf. The Israelis clearly have the ability to defend themselves and to deter aggression and threats. Others do not. Trust is low and, in a rough neighbourhood, the mood is that every state has to look after itself. Saudi Arabia would not be alone in considering that, if Iran was allowed to continue with its nuclear programme, some countervailing deterrence was necessary. Proliferation of nuclear weapons is notonlya concern when rogue states are involved.

As Henry Kissinger noted in congressional testimony a few weeks ago, “if other countries in the region conclude that America has approved the development of an enrichment capability [which would allow the development of nuclear weapons within 12 months], and if they then insist on building the same capability, we will live in a proliferated world in which everybody . . . will be very close to the trigger point”

http://blogs.ft.com/nick-butler/2015/02/15/saudi-arabias-nuclear-ambitions/

 

[al-Hasani]

World’s Largest Solar Powered, Jellyfish-Fightin’ Desalination Plant To Be Built In Saudi Arabia​

January 22nd, 2015 by Tina Casey

If Saudi Arabia and solar power don’t look quite right together, it’s time to shake off that 1970s oil crisis dust and take a look at the country’s recent forays into renewable energy. The latest move is a solar powered desalination plant aimed at treating 60,000 square meters of seawater daily for the northeastern city of Al Khafji. According to the developer, this will be the world’s first utility scale, solar powered desalination plant.

We were just talking about the potential for Saudi Arabia to export its solar technology last summer, as the solar industry revs up in competition with the global market for diesel. The new desalination plant is more evidence that the country is serious about weaning itself off diesel fuel domestically as well.

Jellyfish filter for solar powered desalination plant (enhanced screenshot, courtesy of Triarena).
​

Solar Powered Desalination

Seawater is becoming a critical resource as global freshwater supplies come under increasing stress, but conventional desalination is an expensive, energy-sucking process. Renewable energy offers a chance at lowering both costs and emissions, and renewable-powered desalination was a hot topic at the 2013 World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

Well, it looks like the future is here. Yesterday, the company Abengoa announced that it has been tapped to partner in the development of the Al Khafji desalination plant by TAQNIA, Saudi Arabia’s innovation investment agency, through its newly formed company Advanced Water Technology (AWT).

If Abengoa rings a bell, you might be thinking of the world’s largest parabolic troughconcentrating solar system. That’s just one among many high-profile renewable energy projects under the company’s umbrella, so it looks like Saudi Arabia went to the A-list for this project.

According to AWT, the plant will have a 15 megawatt solar array using polycrystalline solar cells engineered by the research agency King Abdulaziz City Science and Technology.

Speaking of going to the top, Spain’s Triarena also lists the desalination plant among its projects. Energy efficiency goes hand in glove with renewable energy, so it looks like the system includes energy recovery, energy storage, and other efficiency systems to complement the solar array. Here’s a video from Triarena that spells it all out:

The only question we have for now is, what are they going to do with all that brine?

As for the jellyfish, the population of the ubiquitous critters appears to be on the rise, so your first order of business in seawater desalination is to find an efficient way to keep them from gumming up your works.

The plant itself is already under construction and is scheduled to be up and running in early 2017.

Drinking Our Way Out Of Rising Sea Levels

Renewable-powered desalination is just one pathway under exploration for recovering seawater resources. We’re especially interested in a “quadruple play” water treatment process under development at the University of Colorado based on a microbial fuel cellthat can desalinate water, treat wastewater, and generate electricity all in one process.

That’s three if you’re keeping count. The fourth part is that the process generates hydrogen gas, which can be recycled back into the system for increased efficiency.

World's Largest Solar Powered Desalination Plant Under Way

Excellent.

 

[OTTOMAN]

Arab bedouins leading the world.... how is it possible?
Can some one of Arab critiques elaborate?

 

[al-Hasani]

Arab bedouins leading the world.... how is it possible?
Can some one of Arab critiques elaborate?

Which Bedouins? Bedouins in KSA form less than 0,5% of the population and out of 450 million or so Arabs 1% or so might still be Bedouins but none are real Bedouins anymore. During Prophet Muhammad's time Bedouins formed a minority of the population. That was almost 1500 years ago. Besides Arabia is home to some of the oldest civilizations and some of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. The Arabian Peninsula is also the oldest inhabited region in the world outside of Eastern Africa/Horn of Africa.

Bedouins are one of the most ancient peoples in the world who are famous for their poetry, music, hospitality which is second to none, horse breeding (they developed the most most famous horse in the world - the Arabian horse) warrior tradition (they formed the backbone of some of the largest empires the world has seen) and they are real survivors and proud independent people who influenced others and not the other way around. Bedouin is a positive thing. Although there are close to no Bedouins in Hijaz and me being a Hashemite, whenever somebody calls me a Bedouin I take this as a compliment. Rather be a Bedouin than a Gypsy that can't trace his family for more than 4-5 generations and who got conquered on all fronts but those same "Bedouins" back in the day.

KSA is not leading the world either. KSA/GCC is very active in terms of renewable energy though which is a very good thing considering the enormous potential for solar and wind energy in KSA.

 

[OTTOMAN]

World’s Largest Solar Powered, Jellyfish-Fightin’ Desalination Plant To Be Built In Saudi Arabia​

January 22nd, 2015 by Tina Casey

If Saudi Arabia and solar power don’t look quite right together, it’s time to shake off that 1970s oil crisis dust and take a look at the country’s recent forays into renewable energy. The latest move is a solar powered desalination plant aimed at treating 60,000 square meters of seawater daily for the northeastern city of Al Khafji. According to the developer, this will be the world’s first utility scale, solar powered desalination plant.

We were just talking about the potential for Saudi Arabia to export its solar technology last summer, as the solar industry revs up in competition with the global market for diesel. The new desalination plant is more evidence that the country is serious about weaning itself off diesel fuel domestically as well.

Jellyfish filter for solar powered desalination plant (enhanced screenshot, courtesy of Triarena).
​

Solar Powered Desalination

Seawater is becoming a critical resource as global freshwater supplies come under increasing stress, but conventional desalination is an expensive, energy-sucking process. Renewable energy offers a chance at lowering both costs and emissions, and renewable-powered desalination was a hot topic at the 2013 World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

Well, it looks like the future is here. Yesterday, the company Abengoa announced that it has been tapped to partner in the development of the Al Khafji desalination plant by TAQNIA, Saudi Arabia’s innovation investment agency, through its newly formed company Advanced Water Technology (AWT).

If Abengoa rings a bell, you might be thinking of the world’s largest parabolic troughconcentrating solar system. That’s just one among many high-profile renewable energy projects under the company’s umbrella, so it looks like Saudi Arabia went to the A-list for this project.

According to AWT, the plant will have a 15 megawatt solar array using polycrystalline solar cells engineered by the research agency King Abdulaziz City Science and Technology.

Speaking of going to the top, Spain’s Triarena also lists the desalination plant among its projects. Energy efficiency goes hand in glove with renewable energy, so it looks like the system includes energy recovery, energy storage, and other efficiency systems to complement the solar array. Here’s a video from Triarena that spells it all out:

The only question we have for now is, what are they going to do with all that brine?

As for the jellyfish, the population of the ubiquitous critters appears to be on the rise, so your first order of business in seawater desalination is to find an efficient way to keep them from gumming up your works.

The plant itself is already under construction and is scheduled to be up and running in early 2017.

Drinking Our Way Out Of Rising Sea Levels

Renewable-powered desalination is just one pathway under exploration for recovering seawater resources. We’re especially interested in a “quadruple play” water treatment process under development at the University of Colorado based on a microbial fuel cellthat can desalinate water, treat wastewater, and generate electricity all in one process.

That’s three if you’re keeping count. The fourth part is that the process generates hydrogen gas, which can be recycled back into the system for increased efficiency.

World's Largest Solar Powered Desalination Plant Under Way

Excellent.

SaudiArabia has always been the lead in use of innovative technology and design.
While some fanatics in Pakistan, dream every night, that Saudi oil shall evaporate before their death.
I wonder, how much grief such record breaking news bring to them.
Sorry boys, you have been fooled by foreign appointed apostles.

 

[al-Hasani]

SaudiArabia has always been the lead in use of innovative technology and design.
While some fanatics in Pakistan, dream every night, that Saudi oil shall evaporate before their death.
I wonder, how much grief such record breaking news bring to them.
Sorry boys, you have been fooled by foreign appointed apostles.

Arabia is going nowhere. It predates all of their entities and ethnic groups with millenniums. When Arabia was populated their lands were empty. So let them cry.

Those same people pray that Makkah and Madinah will disappear tomorrow.

Regarding cooperation and necessary changes then please take a look at page 1 and 2 in this thread brother. Or post 11. I think that Pakistan is no different here.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Work Set To Begin On Saudi Arabia’s First Solar PV Module Manufacturing Facility​

April 9th, 2015 by Mridul Chadha

Saudi Arabia has taken the first steps towards establishing a strong foundation for the growth of solar PV power infrastructure.

International planning, architecture, and interior design firm, ci design, has been selected to lead the design and planning of a 110 MW solar PV modules manufacturing facility set to be developed by the Al-Afandi Group. The facility will be built at the Industrial Valley of the King Abdullah Economic City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Partnering with PV Tech Group, Avid Engineers, and DAR Engineers, ci design will oversee the full scope of the project, leading design efforts for the 24,800 square-meter facility.

The facility will no doubt play a critical role in Saudi Arabia’s solar power expansion plans. As part of its expansive renewable energy targets, Saudi Arabia plans to have 16 GW of solar PV installed capacity by 2040. This corresponds to 640 MW capacity addition every year for 25 years. This target had earlier been set for 2032 but has now been delayed by 8 years.

King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE), responsible for the development of atomic and renewable in Saudi Arabia, had issued a roadmap to achieve 54 GW installed renewable energy capacity by 2032. Apart from the 16 GW solar PV capacity, it would also include installation of 25 GW worth of concentrated solar power capacity, 9 GW of wind energy capacity, 3 GW of waste-to-energy capacity, and 1 GW of geothermal power capacity.

By 2032 K.A.CARE had planned to generate 145 TWh of electricity from solar power projects every year, which is expected to be almost 23% of the total electricity generated in the country.

Work Set To Begin On Saudi Arabia’s First Solar PV Module’s Manufacturing Facility

Report: Saudi Arabia to see 'robust' growth in solar power​

Article posted by Pipeline Staff
Thursday, 23 April 2015 08:50​

Saudi Arabia’s solar energy industry is set for ‘robust’ growth well past 2020 according to a new published report.

“The country is more focused towards generating solar power from concentrated solar power technology”
Faced by a growing population and the related demands on its current oil-based power generation infrastructure, the Saudi government is on an aggressive drive to boost power generation from renewable energy sources.

The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE) in Riyadh has already introduced a renewable energy programme for the kingdom to add 54GW of additional power generation capacity from renewable sources through investments totaling US$109 billion by 2032. Solar power is expected to contribute around 41GW of overall power capacity additions by 2032.

"K.A.CARE renewable energy programme would be a major driving factor for solar power industry in Saudi Arabia in coming years,” said Karan Chechi, Research director with global market research firm TechSci Research which produced the report. “The country is more focused towards generating solar power from concentrated solar power technology.”

The report, titled "Saudi Arabia Solar Power Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2020,” TechSci Research states that the world’s largest crude oil exporter’s location on the equator and near-perfect sunny and dry climate, makes it an ideal candidate for industrial scale solar power generation.

The report has analysed the future growth potential of the solar power market in Saudi Arabia and provides statistics and information on market size and solar power industry.

According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2014, the country consumes a large amount of crude oil for electricity production.

Continuing increase in population growth rate, urbanisation and industrial development have resulted in rise in consumption of crude oil so as to meet the country's growing energy demand.

Report: Saudi Arabia to see 'robust' growth in solar power - Pipeline Magazine

 

[Hassan Al-Somal]

Good move on the part of Saudi Arabia. The rest of Arab and Muslim world should learn something from it.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Good move on the part of Saudi Arabia. The rest of Arab and Muslim world should learn something from it.

Khalid A. Al-Falih the CEO of Saudi Aramco speaking about renewable energy during a World Economic Forum meeting in China.

Very interesting. Give it a look.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Saudi Arabia's ACWA To Launch Wind Power Projects In Morocco

Paddy Padmanathan, President and CEO of ACWA Power, said the company will invest $12 billion in current and new renewable energy projects in these countries.

He added that the Saudi Group is competing for three wind power tenders totaling 850 MW in Morocco’s wind power expansion plan, the largest in the world.

Padmanathan, whose company had participated at the 17th edition of Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2015) at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, said ACWA’s plans to build two solar power plants in southern Morocco are still in the preliminary phases.

ACWA is head-quartered in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is owned by eight Saudi conglomerates, Sanabil Direct Investment Company (owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Public Pensions Agency and the international Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group.

The Group has operations in 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Southern Africa and South East Asia regions.

Last January, a consortium led by ACWA Power International won a $2 billion contract to build two solar power plants in the southern city of Ourzazate.

The two plants totaling 350 megawatts are the second phase of the 500MW Ouarzazate project, which aims at producing 2 gigawatts of solar energy by 2020.

Saudi’s ACWA to Launch Wind Power Projects in Morocco | Global Power Journal

Renewable Energy in the Middle East
​

By Fatima Al-Banna | April 15, 2015 - 9:44 pm | Middle East, Renewable Energy

The Middle East energy sector has played and will continue to play an important role in the regional as well as global economy. The oil and gas sector is the largest economic sector in the region. In addition to satisfying energy needs for economic and social development, it is the source of oil and gas export revenues contributing to economic development. Regional countries are heavily dependent on oil and gas to meet their domestic energy demand. Oil contributes more than half of the total energy demand in the Middle East while the rest is contributed by natural gas. Widespread use of fossil fuels has led to severe impact on the environment. High rate of population coupled with rapid industrialization has led to tremendous increase in energy demand which, in turn, is contributing to significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

In recent years, the clamor for renewable energy has increased significantly in the Middle East which may be attributed to concerns regarding global warming and depletion of fossil fuels. Regional countries whose environments are extremely intensive in terms of the carbon emissions and energy usage, like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, have taken concrete steps and developed strategies to produce clean energy on large-scale to lower carbon footprint and foster sustainable development.

During the last few years, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have unveiled multi-billion dollar plans to Improve alternative energy scenario in their respective countries. The most notable example is the Masdar City of Abu Dhabi that has developed a holistic approach to tackle global warming and implement sustainable energy technologies. It will be a sustainable, zero-carbon and zero-waste modern urban habitat. The Masdar City strives to promote innovation and sustainable urban development in a modern cleantech cluster and free economic zone. Another important objective is to involve and support youngsters in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The world’s biggest oil-producer, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is also investing heavily in clean energy technologies to ensure a better future for the coming generation. One of the top priorities of the country is to harness the tremendous solar energy potential available across the country. Saudi Arabia’s interest in renewable energy is a big morale-booster for less-developed regional economies, like Jordan, Egypt and Morocco, to develop ambitious clean energy programs.

Conclusions

Large-scale investments and new sustainable development projects are expected to transform the Middle East into the ultimate destination for clean energy technologies which will not only lower carbon footprint of the region but also reduce the cost of solar, wind and other renewable energy systems. The world’s dependence on Middle East energy resources has caused the region to have some of the largest carbon footprints per capita worldwide. The region is now gearing up to meet the challenge of global warming with the rapid growth of the renewable energy sector. Mass deployment of renewable energy systems is a necessity in the Middle East as the region is grappling with environmental issues like industrial pollution, water-scarcity and unsustainable energy consumption. A successful transition from fossil fuel-based economy to one dependent on renewable energy resources will usher in a new era of peace, prosperity and security in the Middle East.

Renewable Energy in the Middle East | EcoMENA

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Sunny future for renewable energy: report​

GCC to generate 120,000 jobs annually through 2030
​

PUBLISHED: 18:20 MAY 19, 2015
BY BINSAL ABDUL KADER STAFF REPORTER

Abu Dhabi: Although renewable energy sector is still in its nascent stage in the Gulf region, including the UAE, it may employ an annual average of roughly 120,000 jobs in the region through 2030, said an expert on Tuesday.

The job creation will unfold if the sector achieves its stated renewable energy targets and plans, a spokesman with the Abu-Dhabi based International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) told Gulf News.

Given the ambitious plans for renewable energy deployment — including massive solar power projects — in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the majority of the jobs will be in these countries, he said.

The job projections came following the release of a new ground-breaking global report yesterday, ‘Renewable Energy and Jobs — Annual Review 2015’. by Irena from its offices in Abu Dhabi that estimated that the renewable energy industry created 7.7 million jobs across the globe by the end of 2014.

According to the report, the sector created one million jobs in 2014 alone, marking an 18 per cent increase compared with 6.5 million jobs created by the end of 2013.

An estimated additional 1.5 million people work in jobs directly supported by the large hydropower sector, which is a first-ever global estimate in this regard, said the report, Renewable energy may create 16 million jobs worldwide by 2030, if doubling of the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix materialises as envisaged by the agency.

Speaking on the latest findings, Adnan Z. Ameen, Irena Director-General, said: “Renewable energy continues to assert itself as a major global employer, generating strong economic and social benefits worldwide. This increase is being driven, in part, by declining renewable energy technology costs, which creates more jobs in installation, operations and maintenance. We expect this upward trend to continue as the business case for renewable energy continues to strengthen,” he said.

Asia is leading in job creation in the renewable energy sector with five of the 10 countries with the most jobs in the sector now located in the region — China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Bangladesh. This trend has lowered the share of global renewable energy jobs in the European Union and the United States from 31 per cent in 2012 to 25 per cent now, despite continued job growth.

The 10 countries with the largest number of renewable energy jobs are China, Brazil, the US, India, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, France, Bangladesh and Colombia. The solar PV (photovoltaic) industry is the largest renewable energy employer worldwide with 2.5 million jobs, followed by liquid biofuels with 1.8 million jobs, and wind power, which surpassed one million jobs for the first time this year.

All renewable energy sectors — solar, wind, biofuels, biomass, biogas and small hydropower — have witnessed job growth. Solar PV is the largest renewable energy employer with 2.5 million jobs worldwide, up from 2.3 million in 2013.

China is the world’s largest renewable energy employer with 3.4 million jobs, leading in solar PV, wind, solar heating and cooling, small and large hydropower, biomass and biogas.

Brazil is the leading employer in biofuels with 845,000 jobs. Its wind industry is also growing rapidly, with employment increasing 12 per cent to 35,800 from 2013.

In the US, total solar employment surged 22 per cent from 142,700 to 173,800 positions and overall wind jobs increased 43 per cent since 2013 to 73,000. Data also finds that employment of women in the solar industry is on the rise, increasing from 26,700 to 37,500.

In India, if the government reaches its goal of installing 100GW of solar PV and 60GW of wind, it will generate more than 1 million jobs by 2022.

Germany is the leading renewable energy employer in Europe with 371,400 jobs.

Liquid biofuels (roughly 1.8 million, up from 1.45 million), modern biomass (822,000, up from 782,000) and biogas (381,000, up from 264,000) are also major employers, with jobs concentrated in feedstock supply.

Sunny future for renewable energy: report | GulfNews.com

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Saudis Confirm Switch from Oil to Solar​

By Jeff Siegel

You probably wouldn't recognize him if you saw him on the street.

Heck, you probably don't even know his name.

But Ali Al-Naimi is one of the most powerful men in the world.

As the Saudi oil minister and chairman of Saudi Aramco, Al-Naimi is not particularly popular with U.S. oil producers, especially after telling the media he didn't care if oil prices crashed to $20 because it was not in the interest of OPEC producers to cut production — regardless of price.

Still, he remains the most influential oilman on the planet. Listed as one of Forbes' 50 most powerful people in the world, Ali Al-Naimi may not feel the love in Texas, but his influence is unquestionable.

So last week, when he made the following statement, the gatekeepers of the global energy economy blinked...

In Saudi Arabia, we recognize that eventually, one of these days, we’re not going to need fossil fuels. I don’t know when - 2040, 2050 or thereafter. So we have embarked on a program to develop solar energy. Hopefully, one of these days, instead of exporting fossil fuels, we will be exporting gigawatts of electric power.

Al-Naimi also added:

I believe solar will be even more economic than fossil fuels.

And he calls himself an oilman!

One of these days...

Sarcasm aside, Al-Naimi is right.

One of these days, we're not going to need fossil fuels.

We're not going to need gasoline or diesel to fuel our vehicles because in the future, our vehicles will not be reliant upon outdated internal combustion technology.

We're not going to need coal or natural gas to juice up our grid because those resources will simply be too expensive and environmentally burdensome to rely upon.

But let me assure you, dear reader, that this “one of these days” scenario is pretty far off.

Although I'm without a doubt one of the biggest advocates for transitioning our energy economy to one that is primarily built on cleaner energy, moving from a fossil fuel-dominated world to a renewable energy-dominated world will take more than 25 to 35 years.

Renewable Energy is the Future

Don't get me wrong; this transition is well underway. And those making the important investments in renewable energy today will be the dominant energy providers of tomorrow.

Don't think for a second that companies like Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) are embracing cleaner energy because they're run by a bunch of tree-huggers.

Renewable energy IS the future, and embracing it in its earliest stages is little more than a very smart investment decision.

By the end of this decade, solar will be competitive with all forms of fossil fuel power generation in nearly every city, town, and neighborhood on the planet. In some places, it's already there.

New developments in energy storage are not 50 years away — they're here today. In another 10 to 15 years, innovations like Tesla's Powerwall will be ubiquitous.

Electric cars — not even representing 1% of all the cars on the road today — will conquer 20% of the entire new car market in less than 15 years.

By 2030, we'll be moving people and freight at speeds in excess of 500 miles per hour using hyperloop technology. Centuries-old rail systems will find new homes in museums, and short-range air travel will become almost non-existent.

But here's the thing...

Even with all of these wonderful and exciting innovations that will move us forward as a global society, it's highly unlikely that all of the world's energy needs in 2050 will be met without the inclusion of fossil fuels.

That being said, the demand for fossil fuels is definitely going to decrease dramatically, and in a relatively short amount of time.

Your Grandkids Will Thank You

By 2030, 30% of the U.S. will be powered by renewables. And that's a conservative estimate.

By 2040, we'll be at 45%, and by 2050, we'll be well above 70%.

As far as transportation is concerned, I suspect that by 2050, they won't even be building internal combustion passenger vehicles anymore. Economically, environmentally, and socially, they just won't make sense.

Electric cars and high-speed travel (powered almost exclusively by renewable energy) will be the norm, new drivers won't even know how to put gas into a gas tank, and guys like Elon Musk and Jigar Shah will be in the history books as the most influential inventors and entrepreneurs of the 21st century.

As for you...

Well, if you approach investing as a long-term, sustainable avenue for wealth creation, do yourself a favor and commit at the very least a small portion of your portfolio to renewable energy. You'll be happy you did, and your grandkids will thank you — not just for the fat inheritance, but for the clean air and water, too!

To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...

Jeff Siegel is Editor of Energy and Capital, where this article was first published.

Saudis Confirm Switch from Oil to Solar | Alternative Energy Stocks

KING ABDULLAH CITY FOR ATOMIC AND RENEWABLE ENERGY – A FLAGSHIP PARTICIPANT IN “EnviroCities 2015”
Tuesday, 5 May , 2015

King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy “KACARE” will be a flagship participant in the World 5th Conference “EnviroCities 2015” to be launched today, Tuesday in Almadinah Almunawwarah under the auspices of His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Ibn Salman Ibn Abdulaziz, Emir of Almadinah Almunawwarah Area. The Event is organized by Almadinah Almunawwarah Governorate in collaboration with Dubai Municipality, the Environment Center for Arab Towns and the Arab Towns Organization.
The President of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy Dr. Hashim Abdullah Yamani stated that KACARE’s participation in this great forum is seen as a real tangible support on KACARE’s part wholeheartedly afforded to the organizing agencies under the aegis of which the Conference holds its 5th Session. HE the President pointed out that KACARE is looked upon as the major supporter and flagship participant in the mission oriented towards township environment. This mission is centered on the utilization of wastes and the conversion thereof to a sustainable energy made available at the disposal of each and every area and governorate throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dr. Yamani added that the Conference is targeted at providing extraordinary opportunity to those officers in charge of towns and their affairs. The Conference shall afford them with a unique arena where they can meet to exchange ideas and experiences, the vehicle being such an open free and open-ended dialogue. It is really an arena where participants will thoroughly and deep-rootedly discuss ideas brain-stormed, to say the least about the solutions mainly devised to convert wastes and tailings into energy with an objective to ensure development sustainability.
His Excellency the President further stressed that KACARE’s participation in the said conference in Almadinah Almunawwarah will be highlighted throughout the sessions of the Conference.
In the Fourth Session, the discussions of which shall focus on “Governance and Decision-making with Respect to Waste-to-Energy” , KACARE shall participate in a paper titled “KACARE’s Strategic Planning to produce Energy from Waste”. In the Sixth Session, banner of which shall be “Future Outlook of Waste-to-Energy”, KACARE will participate via a paper titled “Prospects for Waste-to-Energy in the Kingdom”.
Furthermore, KACARE will also have a big say in the inaugural Session, coupled with a supportive exhibition.
KACARE’s President also stated that the Inaugural Day will also witness the signature of an agreement on cooperation between KACAREW and the Mayoralty of Almadinah Almunawwarah, under the aegis of His Royal Highness Prince Faisal ibn Salman ibn Abdulaziz, the Emir of Almadinah Almunawwarah Area.
His Excellency the President further explained that KACARE is also endeavoring to introduce a sustainable mix of atomic and renewable energy resources. The President made a mention to the multi-purposes of such a mix. Beside the fact that it would enhance environment, it should reduce noxious emissions and preserve ambient environment and natural resources. The net result will be, the President added, furtherance of sustainable development which, in turn, should eventually ensure environmental safety for both present as well as suture generations as well.
Concluding, Dr. Yamani remarked that KACARE has been keenly interested in the assurance that its overall atomic and renewable energy strategy, concurrently and most accurately, involves multi-dimensional plans and sub-plans that tackle matters that are of paramount importance, such as employment opportunities, yough qualification, versatile capacity building, with all plans and strategies being oriented to construct a robust and sustainable atomic and renewable energy sector that is eventually capably equipped to motivate economic development and materially contribute to a sustainable national development.

KING ABDULLAH CITY FOR ATOMIC AND RENEWABLE ENERGY – A FLAGSHIP PARTICIPANT IN “EnviroCities 2015” | King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy

 

[Gufi]

Your Grandkids Will Thank You

Batteries at this day and age, the dry batteries used to store energy are very in efficient and the environmental impact they have should be researched also. I am tired of tree hugging anti oil idiots not caring about the effect of the batteries and their extraction, use, and disposal are having on the environment. Tesla might be working on a battery efficient enough to change how energy is stored, till then no amount of green energy is sustainable.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Batteries at this day and age, the dry batteries used to store energy are very in efficient and the environmental impact they have should be researched also. I am tired of tree hugging anti oil idiots not caring about the effect of the batteries and their extraction, use, and disposal are having on the environment. Tesla might be working on a battery efficient enough to change how energy is stored, till then no amount of green energy is sustainable.

It all depends on the technology developed. Right now there is no serious interest of moving away from fossils because it's the by far cheapest source of energy and the most secure one. Especially oil. Eventually when there will be no oil and gas left the planet will have to move towards renewable energy and alternative energy and we can hope that they will have developed efficient technology by then and that the environmental damages have not become too great.

The technology might constantly improve and develop further but the challenges of this world are also increasing. I say good luck to our descendants who might end up living on a planet that we won't recognize. The fact that there are fewer resources left each year, increasing populations and most importantly increased consumption of resources should give us a lot to worry about.

Anyway the plans of KSA and the GCC are very ambitious and I hail them and I hope that the plans in regards to solar, wind and nuclear energy will succeed. The potential is endless. Truly efficient technology is all that matters.