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Advancing renewable energy in resource-rich economies of the MENA

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  • Poudineh, Rahmatallah
  • Sen, Anupama
  • Fattouh, Bassam

Abstract

As much of the world pushes ahead with the deployment of renewable energy, resource-rich MENA economies are lagging behind. This paper contends that while the main obstacles to deployment of renewables are grid infrastructure inadequacy, insufficient institutional capacity, and risks and uncertainties, the investment incentives lie on a policy instrument spectrum with two polar solutions: (i) the incentive is provided entirely through the market (removing all forms of fossil fuel subsidies and internalising the cost of externalities); or (ii) the incentive is provided through a full government subsidy programme (in addition to the existing fossil fuel subsidies). However, there is a trade-off between the two dimensions of the fiscal burden and political acceptance across the policy instrument spectrum, which implies that the two polar solutions themselves are not easily and fully implementable in these countries. We propose a new dynamic combinatorial approach (partial subsidy programme and partial fossil fuel price adjustment) that gradually moves towards market-based incentive provision over the medium to long-term where energy subsidies are eventually phased out. The approach balances fiscal sustainability with political stability, enabling the gradual scaling up and development of markets for renewables.

Suggested Citation

  • Poudineh, Rahmatallah & Sen, Anupama & Fattouh, Bassam, 2018. "Advancing renewable energy in resource-rich economies of the MENA," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 135-149.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:123:y:2018:i:c:p:135-149
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2018.02.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Yuegang Song & Umer Shahzad & Sudharshan Reddy Paramati, 2023. "Impact of energy infrastructure investments on renewable electricity generation in major Asian developing economies," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(1), pages 1-23, March.
    9. Poudineh, Rahmatallah & Sen, Anupama & Fattouh, Bassam, 2020. "An integrated approach to electricity sector reforms in the resource rich economies of the MENA," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    10. Chang, Kai & Wan, Qiong & Lou, Qichun & Chen, Yili & Wang, Weihong, 2020. "Green fiscal policy and firms’ investment efficiency: New insights into firm-level panel data from the renewable energy industry in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 589-597.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Renewable incentives; Removing fossil fuel subsidies; Renewable subsidies; Combinatorial approach; Renewable barriers; MENA resource-rich countries;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q40 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - General
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q28 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy

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