The main objective of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Development Plan (2011-2030) is to expand usage of renewable energies and to diversify energy sources in the country. The plan recognises solar energy a primary renewable technology to be developed, while noting that the potential for wind, biomass, geothermal and hydropower energy is comparatively small. The Plan forecasts a 37% increase in total national electricity production by 2030 due to solar electricity production. The Plan's renewable energy goals are:
- To install 22,000MW of power generating capacity from renewable sources between 2011 and 2030 (of which 12,000MW for internal usage and 10,000MW for export)
- To meet 20% of electricity generation from renewables by 2030
- For renewable energy development to drive sustainable economic development, to increase energy security supply, and to create jobs
The Development Plan has three stages:
- 2011 - 2013: pilot projects and testing period for various technologies with a goal to install 110MW of RE power capacity
- 2014 - 2015: beginning of the deployment programme. Installed RE power capacity to reach 650 MW by the end of this period
- 2016 - 2020: large scale REs plants deployment. Installed power capacity to reach about 2600 MW the end of this phase
The Plan aims to increase energy efficiency through a number of avenues: 1) improvement of heat insulation of buildings 2) development of solar water heating; promotion of co-generation 3) promotion of LPG and natural gas fuels 4) developing solar cooling systems 5) converting simply cycle power plants to combined cycle power plants, where possible 6) desalinating brackish water using renewable energy 7) substituting all mercury lamps with sodium lamps and promoting the use of low-energy lamps
