Experts urge Arab countries to exploit solar energy potential

Nov. 26, 2011 - Hana Namrouqa - themuslimtimes.org

DEAD SEA – Energy experts on Sunday predicted that solar power will be the most important source of energy in the Middle East within the next decade, calling on regional governments to shift from their reliance on oil to clean, renewable energy resources.

Energy drives the economy and helps create job opportunities, the experts said, underscoring that the Arab world has a high potential for exploiting solar energy as it has the most sunny daylight hours of any region in the world.

“Solar energy is efficient and abundant in the Arab world. Studies indicate that solar energy in the Middle East is twice the amount that could be collected in the US,” Mohammad Barmawi, chairman of the Oman-based MB Holding Company, said yesterday.

He made the remarks during a session titled “The future of energy governance”, held as part of the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Economic Growth and Job Creation in the Arab World.

Barmawi said that in order to improve energy efficiency in the Arab world, governments must improve the oil supply by privatising national oil, gas and electricity companies.

“Governments in the Arab world own the oil, gas and electricity companies… we need to privatise these companies while guaranteeing competitiveness and ensuring transparency,” Barmawi noted.

He also called for creating a common electric grid among the North African countries to share energy between Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, in addition to investing in clean and renewable energy sources.