A recent review of energy efficiency and renewable energy in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region

ABSTRACT

Global warming has risen as a primary global concern. It has stimulated interest in the development of the renewable energy (RE) system. Studies demonstrated that the regions of Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom Saudi Arabia (KSA), and United Arab Emirates (UAE) face several changes in the form of uncertain weather conditions. Given the strategic location of the Gulf States and its enormous oil and natural resource, it is characterized to hold potential for using renewable energies such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy for meeting the power production needs. Previous studies suggested that energy consumptions such as crude oil and fossil fuels are the major sources of providing economic benefits to the states. The high oil price, deterioration of the financial markets, and incident of Arab Spring has shifted the working at a national and international level, making it important in using RE resources to generate excessive energy. The primary focus was to explore the scope of energy efficiency (EE) and the use of solar, wind and geothermal energy resources given their proliferation potential for the GCC region. The review assessed the energy and electricity consumption trends in the region. Also, it discussed the problems related to the effects of dust accumulation on devices. Moreover, it also highlighted the use of various computer interfaces that demonstrate the feasibility to use various RE technologies. Further, it draws conclusions and recommendations based on the issues.

Abbreviation: A/CAir Conditioning AGHE Air-Ground Heat Exchanger CF capacity factor CPVC oncentrated Photovoltaic CSP Concentrated Solar power DHI Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance DNI Direct Normal Irradiance DEWA Dubai Electricity and Water Authority EE energy efficiency EER energy efficiency ratio GHI Global Horizontal Irradiance GHE Ground Heat Exchanger GSHPs Ground Source Heat Pump system GCC Gulf Corporation Council ISCC Integrated Solar Combined Cycle IRENA International Renewable Energy Agency KAUST King Abdullah University of Science and Technology KSA Kingdom Saudi Arabia MPPT Maximum power point tracking NPV net present value OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development PV photovoltaic PV/T photovoltaic/therma lR Erenewable energy RC RANKEN cycle SWH solar water heater SWOT strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat TOU Time-of use TPES Total primary energy supply UAE United Arab Emirates VAV Variable Air Volume VGSHPs Vertical Ground Source Heat Pump system

KEYWORDS:

• Energy efficiency
• solar energy
• wind energy
• geothermal energy
• dust accumulation
• GCC region

Acknowledgments

The authors are very thankful to all the associated personnel in any reference that contributed to/for this research.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The researchers would like to thank the Deanship of Scientific Research, Qassim University for funding the publication of this project.