The Importance of Green Technology in the GCC Region

Abstract

The following research paper assessed the importance of Green Technology in the GCC region, where renewable energy is critical to be utilized in order to reduce the environmental hazards and provide a sustainability. I will be analyzing 6 sources, of which 5 are scholarly articles and one from reliable sources. The sources present the result indicate that Green Technology, such as renewable energy will help the GCC to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce oil spillage caused by the mass production of oil and gas. In addition, the results also revealed that the renewable energy will offer the GCC regions a new economic opportunity where investments in renewable energy will help to improve the financial markets of the countries located in the Gulf region. Finally, the research paper is followed by an analysis on why Green Technology is the best option as a substitute for non-renewable energy, followed by a conclusion.

Introduction

The importance of green technology is about reducing the risks that damages the environment in the GCC area. In addition, it is about utilizing proper management for natural resources to reduce their waste. Green technology is the new alternative that helps to reduce the non-renewable resources and substitute those with renewable sources of energy to prevent further damage to the environment. This research will help to further understand the risks posed on the environment when it comes to the lack of using renewable energy in countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman. That is why it is important to address the green technology in the GCC area is an effective solution to help protect the environment from the use and waste of toxic minerals and materials. Even though some are against the Green Technology, Green technology will help to reduce the waste dumped on the environment, for example, prevent oil spillage in the ocean. In addition, it will improve the economy greatly, where new and potential investors from the globe could invest in renewable energy in the GCC.

Literature Review

Green Technology has many benefits, but the main one is the ability for renewable energy (categorized under Green Technology) to reduce the human waste on the environment. Many GCC countries relay on oil for their national income. However, even though the revenue they generate is high, the consequences of domestic oil production will damage the environment, including the marine life. The marine life is very important part of the ecosystems, however, oil spillage in the ocean will only kill the marine life at a fast rate if no actions are taken by the official involved stakeholders. Abdmouleh, et al. (2015), published study highlights the situation in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries regarding energy security solutions to reduce the CO2 emissions that impacts the marine life. It describes the impact of limited renewable energy securities on the GCC region in the future and potential disadvantage it could have on the economy and the marine life and their ecosystems. The special feature of the study as presented by Abdmouleh, et al. is “regional decision-makers as well as multilateral stakeholders, in an attempt to formulate a set of recommendations on policies to promote RE deployment” (1181). The authors focus on how GCC countries could utilize their oil and gas reserves to Renewable Energy (RE) investments that could have minimal impact on the marine life.

Furthermore, the idea of Green Technology is not only associated with a healthier environment. It is also associated with the concept of better economic opportunities. Even though the GCC regions are rich from the money they make from oil, they could generate the same revenues and even more by introducing renewable energy investments. Alnaser and Alnaser (2011), study highlights the vast growth of development in the infrastructure and investment in energy that help to reduce the consumption of electricity in the GCC countries. The main focus of the study is to showcase the increased rate of energy investment by the GCC countries. The authors revisit the same subject through data by conducting a statistical study showing that “the electricity consumption in the GCC countries had increased at a fast rate; 12.4% from 2005 to 2009 (3.15%, annually). This rate is much larger than the world average, which is 2.2% for the same period, or USA (0.5%)” (3074). This shows that consumption of electricity in the GCC has higher costs than the economic opportunities they could generate from the Green Technology investments, such as wind turbines as a source of renewable energy.

Moreover, introducing renewable energy as part of the Green Technology concept will help the GCC countries to utilize the use of energy efficiency in all aspect for life that will serve the public and the businesses. However, some argue that Green Technology is quite expensive and time consuming. Aside from that, they also argue that maintenance of renewable energy will cost more than implementing it for the first time. According to the article titled “Barriers to Renewable Energy Technologies” (2017), highlights that “The most obvious and widely publicized barrier to renewable energy is cost—specifically, capital costs, or the upfront expense of building and installing solar and wind farms” (Union of Concerned Scientists).

Even though some argue that renewable energy or Green Technology are expensive and costs time to implement, many GCC countries have taken the unprecedented steps and started implementing renewable energy plans by transforming their oil and gas reserves to renewable energy. Al-Maamary and Hilal (2017), study highlights the GCC countries and their strategic approach towards turning oil reserves to a high potential for the production of power from renewable energies such as wind, solar and wave energy. The authors stated that GCC countries can use oil and natural gas to transform their source of energy due to the dire oil financial markets, “has made the attention of decision-makers heading to the Gulf renewable energy, especially after the Gulf environment began to suffer from pollutants emitted from the exploration, production and transportation of oil and gas field as well as burning it in power stations” (11). The GCC countries must educate and spread the importance of RE as part of the green Technology movement. In addition, the transform of oil and natural gas markets into RE by utilizing different sources of energy through careful transition over ten years.

Analysis

The implementation of renewable energy undertaken by the GCC nations is serious because they have started to take steps in approaching the field of Green Technology and turn the tables around by reducing the use of oil and gas, known as non-renewable energy resources, to a much more reliable renewable energy sources to protect the environment, society, and the marine life as a whole. Alnaser and Alnaser (2019) study reflects on the rise of the renewable energy in the early 1970’s starting in Kuwait followed by Saudi Arabia in the 1980’s and how all the GCC countries had participated in conducting large projects in the solar and wind energy in the current 21st century. The main focus is showcasing how the GCC countries re planning to increase their solar energy. For instance, “Kuwait (currently about 70 MW among a plan of 2000 MW by 2030), UAE (currently about 300 MW among a plan of 2500 MW by 2030) and Saudi Arabia (with an ambitious renewable energy target of 3450 MW by 2020 with a further 6000 GW envisioned by 2023 and to 200 000 MW by 2030)” (7). The authors evaluate some major positive impacts if the GCC countries are welling to follow their plans to increase the use of solar and wind energy. For example, some of the major impacts are reduction in solar electricity prices, more foreign investments in the solar energy, and rise of solar technology and innovations.

Therefore, the importance of the GCC region of utilizing renewable energy sources will have a major reduction in carbon dioxide footprint if the GCC countries utilize solar energy on the long run. Even though the evidence demonstrated in the literature review above reveals the positive impacts of renewable energy on the GCC region, it is important to have further analysis and discussions with results oriented towards understanding the gaps related to the topic. Ferroukhi, et al. (2013) study is to investigate the efforts undertaken by the GCC countries in utilizing RE, by assessing GCC countries research and development activities in regards to their current and future RE plans. The authors investigate the “drivers and barriers for the diffusion of renewable energy technologies in the GCC” (84). The results concluded in the study is that the deployment of renewable energy in the GCC region will help reduce to increase the Research and Development approach to further understand the drivers behind having a sustainable renewable energy as well as breakdown the current barriers accompanied by such deployment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the concept of Green Technology is crucial for the GCC region because it helps to reduce the carbon footprint on the environment and introduce new economic opportunities for investments. The role of renewable energy applied by different nations has proven to be effective and useful not only for the environment but the for the society. Even though some are against renewable energy or Green Technology because it is costly and is a waste of time, it is important to understand the renewable energy will most likely help nations to use energy in an efficient way with minimal financial cost and hazards. The Green Technology will help the GCC nations to become more advanced in their renewable energy production, in which it will help to sustain the environment and reduce any waste or spillage caused by production of oil and gas or any other toxic material that could harm the environment.

Works Cited

“Barriers to Renewable Energy Technologies.” Union of Concerned Scientists, 2017, www.ucsusa.org/resources/barriers-renewable-energy-technologies.

Abdmouleh, Zeineb, et al. “Recommendations on Renewable Energy Policies for the GCC Countries.” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 50, 2015, pp. 1181–1191., doi:10.1016/j.rser.2015.05.057. Accessed 28 Apr. 2020.

Al-Maamary and Hilal M. S. “Renewable Energy and GCC States Energy Challenges in the 21st Century: A Review.” International Journal of Computation and Applied Sciences, vol. 2, no. 1, 2017, pp. 11–18., doi:10.24842/1611/0018. Accessed 28 Apr. 2020.

Alnaser, N.w., and W.e. Alnaser. “The Impact of the Rise of Using Solar Energy in GCC Countries.” Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability, vol. 4, 2019, p. 7., doi:10.1051/rees/2019004. Accessed 28 Apr. 2020.

Alnaser, W.e., and N.w. Alnaser. “The Status of Renewable Energy in the GCC Countries.” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 15, no. 6, 2011, pp. 3074–3098., doi:10.1016/j.rser.2011.03.021. Accessed 28 Apr. 2020.

Ferroukhi, Rabia, et al. “Renewable Energy in the GCC: Status and Challenges.” International Journal of Energy Sector Management, vol. 7, no. 1, May 2013, pp. 84–112., doi:10.1108/17506221311316498. Accessed 28 Apr. 2020.

ENG102 Research Paper Peer Review Worksheet

Writer’s name: ——————————————-

Reviewer’s name: —————————————

Instructions:

Reviewing: Carefully review the draft from your classmate. Then reread the paper and complete a review sheet for it by answering the following questions and submit this worksheet (typed) to Moodle.

Revising: Consider the comments you receive. You do not need to make all (or any) recommended changes, but you need to consider them.

1. Argument: Does the paper have a thesis, an overall point? How do you know this? In your own words, write down what you think it is. If it needs work, explain.
2. Support and Analysis

• What is the single piece of evidence that most convinces you that the author is correct?

To what extent does the analysis of the evidence convince you? Why?

• Where in the paper are you least convinced by the author’s argument or point?

Why?

What could be done to improve this part of the essay?

• What additional analysis and interpretation of selected passages/quotes would strengthen the argument? Where, if at all, is the analysis extraneous?
• Does the paper carry through its main argument?
• Where does the paper do the best job sticking to its argument?
• Where in the paper is the connection to the thesis least clear?

3. Organization: How well is the paper sequenced?

• Note in the paper where sentences or paragraphs seem out of order and suggest (with arrows, numbers, etc.) how they could be arranged more logically.
• Add any transitions that would make the organization smoother.

4. Completeness: To what extent are the passages that are cited discussed in detail? Choose one argument in the paper and give the author substantive ideas about how to make the point more convincingly. Offer a supporting quotation, or an alternative argument or interpretation for their revision.
5. Clarity: Mark what you consider the clearest sentence and the most confusing sentence in the paper.
6. Proofreading: Mark on the paper any suggested changes in phrasing, syntax, grammar, punctuation or spelling.
7. Overall: What single change would make the most improvement in this paper?

What grade would you give this essay? Why?