IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/engenv/v34y2023i6p2228-2255.html

Assessment of SAARC nations' solar energy potential for sustainable development

Author

Listed:
  • Ajay Mittal

Abstract

Energy is very vital for the economic development and prosperity of any nation. Expanding a country's use of renewable energy sources can help it meet its current and future energy needs, as well as spur economic growth. Sustainable energy supply, electrification rate, population shifts, and per-capita power use affect economic development and prosperity. Electricity use is a key sign of a country's economic growth, and as the economy grows, so does the need for energy. Electricity generation relies on the availability of primary sources, implementation of technology as well as on policy imperatives. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are India, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. SAARC countries are wealthy in natural resources, yet economic growth is a difficulty. This study aims to assess the solar energy potential of SAARC countries, which has received little attention. Prior research on solar energy possibilities in SAARC concentrated on one country or group. According to the study, SAARC countries rely heavily on imported fossil fuels and a single energy source. Renewable energy sources, especially solar energy, are important for their sustainable expansion, diversity of energy basket, energy security, and fulfilling rising electricity demand. The SAARC region has superior daily average horizontal sun irradiances than the UK and Germany, indicating untapped potential for solar photovoltaic systems. This study aims to encourage stakeholders to execute efficient solar energy governance planning for sustainable growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Ajay Mittal, 2023. "Assessment of SAARC nations' solar energy potential for sustainable development," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(6), pages 2228-2255, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:engenv:v:34:y:2023:i:6:p:2228-2255
    DOI: 10.1177/0958305X221120935
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0958305X221120935
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0958305X221120935?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yuehong Lu & Zafar A. Khan & Manuel S. Alvarez-Alvarado & Yang Zhang & Zhijia Huang & Muhammad Imran, 2020. "A Critical Review of Sustainable Energy Policies for the Promotion of Renewable Energy Sources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-31, June.
    2. van Alphen, Klaas & van Sark, Wilfried G.J.H.M. & Hekkert, Marko P., 2007. "Renewable energy technologies in the Maldives--determining the potential," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 11(8), pages 1650-1674, October.
    3. Muneer, Tariq & Asif, Muhammad & Munawwar, Saima, 2005. "Sustainable production of solar electricity with particular reference to the Indian economy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 9(5), pages 444-473, October.
    4. Gozgor, Giray & Lau, Chi Keung Marco & Lu, Zhou, 2018. "Energy consumption and economic growth: New evidence from the OECD countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 27-34.
    5. Ömer Esen & Metin Bayrak, 2017. "Does more energy consumption support economic growth in net energy-importing countries?," Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Science, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(42), pages 75-98, June.
    6. Jayasinghe, Maneka & Selvanathan, E.A. & Selvanathan, Saroja, 2021. "Energy poverty in Sri Lanka," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    7. Ömer Esen & Metin Bayrak, 2017. "Does More Energy Consumption Support Economic Growth in Net Energy-Importing Countries?," Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Science, Universidad ESAN, vol. 22(42), pages 75-98.
    8. Khan, Irfan & Zakari, Abdulrasheed & Dagar, Vishal & Singh, Sanjeet, 2022. "World energy trilemma and transformative energy developments as determinants of economic growth amid environmental sustainability," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    9. Richard Felsberger & Armin Buchroithner & Bernhard Gerl & Hannes Wegleiter, 2020. "Conversion and Testing of a Solar Thermal Parabolic Trough Collector for CPV-T Application," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-24, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pradeep Kumar & Sanjeev Gupta & Vishal Dagar, 2024. "Sustainable energy development through non‐residential rooftop solar photovoltaic adoption: Empirical evidence from India," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 795-814, February.
    2. Doan, Nguyen & Nguyen, Canh Phuc & Dinh Su, Thanh, 2025. "Does fiscal decentralization reduce energy poverty? Evidence from Vietnam," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    3. Lawrence U. Okoye & Alexander E. Omankhanlen & Johnson I. Okoh & Ngozi B. Adeleye & Felix N. Ezeji & Gideon K. Ezu & Benjamin I. Ehikioya, 2021. "Analyzing the Energy Consumption and Economic Growth Nexus in Nigeria," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 11(1), pages 378-387.
    4. Shakouri, Hamed & Pandey, Shikhar & Rahmatian, Farnoosh & Paaso, Esa A., 2023. "Does the increased electricity consumption (provided by capacity expansion and/or reliability improvement) cause economic growth?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    5. Khang Yi Sim & Siok Kun Sek, 2024. "Unveiling the asymmetric energy-growth nexus in top oil-importing and exporting countries: The common correlated effects approach," Energy & Environment, , vol. 35(2), pages 539-568, March.
    6. Wang, Haotian & Hao, Liang & Wang, Weizheng & Chen, Xingyu, 2023. "Natural resources lineage, high technology exports and economic performance: RCEP economies perspective of human capital and energy resources efficiency," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    7. Lawal, Adedoyin Isola & Ozturk, Ilhan & Olanipekun, Ifedolapo O. & Asaleye, Abiola John, 2020. "Examining the linkages between electricity consumption and economic growth in African economies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    8. Jamal Alnsour & Farah Mohammad AlNsour, 2025. "The Nexus Between Natural Resources, Renewable Energy and Economic Growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries," Resources, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, July.
    9. Chaudhry, Neeru & Kumari, Damini, 2024. "How do banks price carbon risk? Evidence from India," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    10. Qaiser Munir & Hooi Hooi Lean & Tamara Teplova & Nazia Nazeer, 2024. "The threshold effect of energy intensity on the emission-growth nexus in Malaysia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 23303-23326, September.
    11. Md. Saiful Islam & Sk Habibur Rahaman & Tahir Akhtar, 2024. "Impact of remittance on economic growth and environmental quality in the purview of energy use, regulatory quality, and financial development," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 48(3), pages 903-924, August.
    12. Kahouli, Bassem & Omri, Anis & Afi, Hatem, 2024. "Technological innovations and health performance: Effects and transmission channels," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    13. Jinapor, John Abdulai & Abor, Joshua Yindenaba & Graham, Michael, 2025. "Energy consumption and inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Does foreign direct investment make a difference?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    14. Bosco, Maria Giovanna & Valeriani, Elisa, 2023. "Energy retrofitting of firms after a natural disaster: A ‘build back better’ strategy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    15. Babatunde Sunday Eweade & Hasan Güngör, 2025. "Climate policy uncertainty and energy impacts on trade openness and foreign direct investment in the United States: Evidence from the RALS co‐integration test," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(3), pages 2869-2890, August.
    16. Umra Waris & Pallavi Sri, 2024. "Assessing the long-term impact of macroeconomic and environment dynamics: Does sustainable energy production shape the environmental landscape of south ASIAN nations?," Energy Technologies and Environment, Anser Press, vol. 2(1), pages 14-31, March.
    17. Olawale Fatoki, 2023. "Antecedents of Workplace Energy Saving Behaviour: An Integration of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Norm Activation Model," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 394-403, July.
    18. Kausar Kiran & Dr. Muhammad Ali Gardezi, 2024. "Green Energy Strategies and Their Effect on Natural Resource Sustainability in Pakistan," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 13(2), pages 126-135.
    19. Ali, Shahadath & Kalita, Paragmoni & Bora, Bhaskor Jyoti & Deka, Manash Jyoti & Kalita, Pankaj & Dutta, Partha Pratim, 2024. "Two novel dual-tube photovoltaic-thermal collector designs with improved performance for liquid-cooled photovoltaic-thermal systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    20. Uktam Umurzakov & Bakhodir Mirzaev & Raufhon Salahodjaev & Arletta Isaeva & Shakhnoza Tosheva, 2020. "Energy Consumption and Economic Growth: Evidence from Post-Communist Countries," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(6), pages 59-65.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:engenv:v:34:y:2023:i:6:p:2228-2255. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.