4 December 2014: The Government of Saudi Arabia organized a side event at the Lima Climate Change Conference on ‘Renewable Energy in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries.’ The event provided an opportunity to discuss economic diversification through renewable energy research and investment, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

Sara Baeshem, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia, noted the challenges and opportunities developing countries face as they search for sustainable pathways to development without increasing their emissions, saying that policy design should meet country-specific requirements.

Suzan Katamoura, King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE), Saudi Arabia, presented the Renewable Resources Atlas of Saudi Arabia, describing it as an online, user-friendly system that provides maps and graphs of annual, monthly, weekly and daily solar and wind averages. She noted that it is designed to incorporate waste and geothermal data when available, and includes relevant information from electric grids and roads. The Atlas will be fully operational once 77 solar measurement stations and 40 wind stations are completed in 2015, according to Katamoura. She expressed hope that the Atlas will provide a less risky investment climate, industry diversification and employment opportunities.

Highlighting the Middle East as the largest desalination market globally, Zaid Al Otaibi, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Saudi Arabia, discussed the Saudi Arabia Initiative for Solar Water Desalination. He said that the Initiative uses reverse-osmosis technology and solar energy, explaining that desalination costs using this technology have decreased rapidly. He highlighted that the Initiative, to be completed by 2016, will provide employment opportunities, such as the in-country production of solar panels.

Mohammed Altamimi, Leader, Thermal Energy Research Group, K.A.CARE, also spoke on renewable desalination in Saudi Arabia, describing two K.A.CARE desalination projects that will be powered by solar and wind energy. He described the study, tendering and execution phases of implementation.

In the discussion, participants asked about challenges such as humidity and sand on photovoltaic (PV) panels, with one panelist describing a special sand-repellent coating to address this challenge. They also discussed: the demand for water in Saudi Arabia; potential plans for a pilot project village fully powered by renewable energy; regulatory frameworks governing renewable energy introduced into the grid; and extending the Atlas to other desert countries. [IISD RS ENBOTS Coverage] [IISD RS ENBOTS Video Coverage of Side Event] [IISD RS Coverage of Lima Climate Change Conference] [Event Announcement] [GCC Website]