Renwable energies technologyies contribution and barries to poverty alleviation in Jordan Syria and Lebanon

Abstract EN

Appropriate energy technologies are identified in the selected Arab countries of Jordan, Syrian, and Lebanon and their potential impact on alleviation of poverty is analyzed.

Jordan and the Syrian Arab republic have tried to exploit these resources and there are some case studies in this domain.

Lebanon has not taken yet concrete steps to exploit renewable energy resources.

The two main barriers are the high prices of the renewable energy equipment in the local market, and the relatively low cost of the electricity.

There is lack of general public awareness of issues pertaining to energy conservation in Lebanon and Syria and there are no dedicated financing schemes or special incentives provided for renewable energy initiatives. Numerous measures have been taken in planning and implementing rural energy initiatives in Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic, in contrast rural energy initiatives in Lebanon remain undefined and largely unattended.

Energy policies and institutional modifications should be launched to improve energy conditions and achieve rural development.

In addition, there are limited industrial capabilities and services for promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency programs in Syria and Lebanon. The national strategy of the Jordanian Government targets, firstly, the development of local energy resources and technologies to supply 28% of national primary energy by the year 2010, and secondly, the improvement of energy efficiency and encouragement of energy conservation.

In Syria, the national strategy target is to save 5% of the country's total energy consumption around 2010 from solar and wind resources.

In Lebanon only policy guidelines encouraging R&D in the renewable energy field have been recorded, which cannot constitute the necessary mechanism towards integration of RE within the overall national energy policies and plans.