Tag Archives: Renewable Energy

Climate Change Mitigation in Tunisia: Challenges and Progress

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Climate change has become a reality in Tunisia, which is struggling to cope with the problems of desertification, water scarcity and the degradation of natural resources. Despite its limited carbon footprint, the risks of climate change may be high. The fourth Arab country to have published its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, Tunisia has put climate change on the top of its political and economic agenda. It is also the first country in the region to include in its new Constitution recognition of climate change: “A sound and balanced environment while contributing to … Continue reading →

A Guide to Sustainable Engineering Practices

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As humanity faces an array of environmental challenges, from climate change to resource depletion, sustainable engineering emerges as a pivotal field dedicated to devising solutions that meet our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. This discipline integrates principles of environmental science with engineering to develop efficient, durable, and economical solutions, minimizing the ecological footprint of human activities. Sustainable engineering addresses a broad spectrum of environmental challenges. It plays a crucial role in combating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in managing waste to prevent pollution, in conserving water and energy, and in protecting ecosystems … Continue reading →

Role of CSP in South Africa’s Power Sector

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Demand for electricity in South Africa has increased progressively over several years and the grid now faces supply and demand challenges. As a result, the Department of Energy has implemented a new Integrated Resource Plan to enhance renewable energy generation capacity and promote energy efficiency. Solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) are set to be the main beneficiaries from the new plan having their initial allocation raised considerably. Daily power demand in South Africa has a morning and evening peak, both in summer and winter. This characteristic makes CSP with storage a very attractive technology for generating electricity … Continue reading →

Women and the Environment: Perspectives from Arabia

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Women and the environment are closely interlinked, throughout history, different nations glorified women as powerful symbols of nature, and nature has always been given the female characteristics: care, reproduction and life-giving. Nevertheless, women’s involvement in the preservation of the environment has seldom been recognized and documented in the histories of several nations. One of the most significant phenomena in the last decades is recognition of women rights to achieve sustainable development; many international agreements reflected this recognition, including Rio Declaration in 1992, which stresses the point of the centrality of the full women participation to achieve environmental sustainability. The UN … Continue reading →

Top Sustainability Trends in Europe

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Sustainability is a global issue, but ecosystems, economies and other factors vary from place to place. While trends that prove successful in one area will likely eventually spread to others, different regions may be at different places at different times. In this post, we’ll focus on Europe. What trends are taking hold there? And which will spread to the Middle East? Sustainability Driving Revenue Growth While sustainability was at first often seen as a corporate responsibility and PR move, today it’s an integral part of business plans. It serves as a major competitive advantage and drives increases in revenue. In … Continue reading →

Sustainability in the Middle East: Complications and Opportunities

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The Middle East region is facing a unique set of natural, operational, political, economic and social challenges in efforts to adopt sustainability. The rapid development and increasing population in these countries have led to an increased consumption of fossil fuels, water, and other non-renewable natural resources, taking a toll on the environment. Though the Middle East countries have significantly contributed to the carbon emissions, over the past decade they have taken positive steps towards addressing the core environmental issues and improving sustainability situation in their respective countries. This article aims at sharing the common challenges and opportunities faced by the … Continue reading →

Renewable Energy Initiatives at The Hashemite University

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The Hashemite University, located in Zarqa (Jordan), has adopted a comprehensive environmental management strategy directed towards a green campus and climate action. The Hashemite University is currently the leader among public and private sectors’ institutions (especially in photovoltaics) in Jordan, and has transferred its expertise to several projects in Jordan and in the MENA region. Key Projects On June 5, 2016, the Hashemite University (abbreviated as HU) has implemented a 5 MWp photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy project that achieved 100% energy independence for the university. The project is implemented in two parts: Grid-Connected Project with 1,018 kWp realized as Pedestrian … Continue reading →

Environmental Outlook for the Arab Region

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The overall environmental outlook in the Arab region is bleak, despite progress on some fronts, according to the latest report of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED). Entitled Arab Environment in 10 Years, the report crowns a decade of annual reports on the state of the environment in the Arab world. The AFED reports have become major references for highlighting progress, identifying problems facing the Arab world, and recommending alternative solutions.  Key Issues at Stake Having an environmental organization focused solely on the Middle East is essential when considering the characteristics specific to the region. As outlined in … Continue reading →

Peak Oil: Perspectives for Saudi Arabia

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The term ‘peak oil’ is ominous to the Middle East, as most of the countries in the region are heavily dependent on oil and natural gas for industrial, economic and social development. Petroleum is considered one of the world’s most important sources of energy generation, after uranium, of course. Many other substances have been tested in order to be used as alternatives to petroleum, but none have hitherto been successful. Scientific research illustrates how the world is facing catastrophe if it doesn’t find an alternative to oil, as it is currently impossible for the global economy to grow without sufficient amounts … Continue reading →

Renewable Energy in the Middle East

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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 … Continue reading →

How PPAs are Helping Businesses Fulfil Their Environmental Pledges

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In recent years, businesses around the world have been making significant strides towards sustainability and reducing their environmental impact. One crucial tool that has emerged to support these efforts is the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). PPAs have become increasingly important for businesses looking to fulfil their environmental pledges by procuring renewable energy. In this blog post, we will explore what a PPA is, delve into the concept of virtual PPAs, and discuss how these agreements are helping businesses make a positive environmental impact. Understanding PPAs and Virtual PPAs A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is a contract between an energy buyer … Continue reading →

Islam, Economics and a Blueprint for Sustainable Development

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Islamic economic thought is heavily based on the concepts of fairness and justice. Trade is encouraged- but only within the guidelines of the Shariah (Islamic law). As a result, the Islamic economic system is largely value-driven and fits within the principles of sustainability. A key Islamic principle concerns how “everything belongs to God, and wealth is held by people in trust”. [1] This means that human beings have a God-given duty to care for the Earth. In turn, this links with the idea of Khilafa (stewardship).  The Holy Qur’an states, “Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on … Continue reading →