Sustainable Development Project in the UAE - Research Proposal Example

GREEN EVENT PLANNING COMPANY Student’s name Code & Course Professor’s Name University City Date Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction.....................................................................................................................3 2.0 Aims and Objectives........................................................................................................4 3.0 Literature Review.............................................................................................................4 4.0 Research Methodology.....................................................................................................6 4.1 Use of Questionnaires...........................................................................................6 4.2 Interview Survey...................................................................................................6 4.3 Site Visit................................................................................................................7 5.0 Results and Discussion......................................................................................................7 5.1 Public Attitudes.....................................................................................................7 5.1.1 Interpretation of Findings..........................................................................9 5.2 Solar Energy Potential in the UAE.......................................................................10 6.0 Structure and Plan.............................................................................................................11 6.1 Legal Structure......................................................................................................11 6.2 Organizational Structure........................................................................................12 6.3 Marketing Plan.......................................................................................................13 7.0 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................14 Reference List...................................................................................................................15 Appendix...........................................................................................................................17 1.0 Introduction In a world where environmental pollution has been threatening global development and having serious implications on human health, it is necessary to establish green projects. Such projects sustainably cut down on impacts of environmental pollution while sustaining socio-economic development (Moriarty & Honnery 2012). The United Arabs Emirates has for a long time relied on energy produced from its rich oil and natural gas reserves. While this has effectively served the Emirates for a long period of time, there are fears that in the long term these resources may be depleted (Abdmouleh, Alammari & Gastli 2015). Ground research reveals that in the next 70 years, local production of energy through natural gas and oil may not be able to full sustain the growing population of the UAE and the growing industrial developments as a result of a regular increase in energy demands (McVeigh 2013). Furthermore, these energy production developments have been proven to have major carbon emissions that have serious implications on the environment, facilitating the green house effect (Abdmouleh, Alammari & Gastli 2015). Consequently, the world considers the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (which UAE is part) climate change policy as a paradox (Moriarty & Honnery 2012). There is, therefore, need to embrace sustainable energy technologies that will not only cater for the rising energy needs and demands but also sustainably take care of the environment. Considering this energy needs and need for environmental conservation, Krypto Company aims to exploit renewable energy sources available in the UAE and use it for sustainable energy production in the UAE. The company aims at initiating a project that harnesses Solar Energy and use it for the production of Solar Thermal Power, which it targets to supply to over 50, 000 homes in Dubai, with the target of expanding and increasing this number. 2.0 Aims and Objectives The aim of this report is to identify the public attitudes factors influencing the attitudes towards the implementation of renewable energy developments in the UAE. The Objectives are: To identify the public attitudes towards the implementation of renewable energy developments in the UAE To evaluate the potential of Solar Energy in the UAE. 3.0 Literature Review Global environmental Statistics reveal that the UAE being a member state of the Gulf Cooperation Council is among the top 25 countries in the ranking of world’s global polluters (Dent 2013; Moriarty & Honnery 2012). This increase in levels of pollution has been as a result of increased carbon emissions through the current energy technologies being used in the country; using natural gas and oil for energy production. Despite only 0.6% of the total global population being in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the nations account for 2.4% emissions of the dangerous green house gases. In this, the UAE accounts for significant 0.6% emissions (Devine-Wright 2014). The long term implications of this are the green house effects on the environment, which, as Dent (2013) observes, the whole world is scared of facing. In addition to the environmental impacts, the sustainability of these energy technologies is put to question. In the immediate neighbouring country, the Sultanate of Oman, Petroleum Development Oman observes that the energy needs of the Omanis have escalated by 52% from 2005 to date (Ghaith & Abusitta 2014; Mezher, Dawelbait & Abbas 2012). Unfortunately, this increase in energy demand is almost proving higher than what the current energy production methodologies; using natural gas and oil, can sustain for a long term (Al-Amir & Abu Hijleh 2013; Jafarkazemi & Saadabadi 2013). Similarly in the UAE, with richer oil reserves increased industrial developments, housing and population is rapidly raising the energy needs. Going by this, it is projected that in the next 70 years, the country’s energy resources will be struggling to meet these needs (Dent 2013; Gherboudj & Ghedira 2015). Recognizing these needs, the Krypto Power Company, seeks to provide a solution through implementation of renewable energy technologies using solar thermal energy. Meteorological reports in the UAE reveal a strong solar energy potential in the UAE. Similar statistics show that throughout the year the UAE has 82% cloudless skies and the country is mostly rainless (McVeigh 2013). The weather records in the UAE explain that the country receives approximately 2,500 thermal kWh of solar radiations per square metre (Moriarty & Honnery 2012). Harnessing the solar potential has two major implications on the lives and economy of the UAE: Providing sustainable energy production that guarantees energy security and Providing renewable energy solutions for energy efficiency (Al-Amir & Abu Hijleh 2013). Going by this, it is a certainty that the UAE would benefit from any projects that would harness the renewable energy potentials in the country for sustainable energy production. Shams 1 project in Abu Dhabi has gone a long way into utilizing this solar energy potential in power distribution and supply. However, its extension is still limited and would do with substantial help from a similar project or more extensive project. 4.0 Research Methodology In order to meet the aims and the objectives of the research, it was important to design effective and reliable data collection methods. As a strategy, the data collection method targeted: Gathering peoples’ attitudes about renewable sources of energies and the implementation of solar energy technologies Evaluation of solar energy potentials in the UAE. As such, the research methods included: 4.1 Use of Questionnaires (See appendix) The questionnaires had both open-ended and closed questions and were distributed to 300 people, from different parts of Abu Dhabi. This was with the aim of directly capturing the public knowledge and attitudes towards sustainable and renewable energy sources and most importantly, solar energy. The questionnaires also aimed at gathering significant information on the factors that would influence public acceptations towards implementation of solar energy technologies. 4.2 Interview Survey A series of interviews were conducted to analyse and evaluate the potential of solar energy for sustainable energy production in the UAE. These guided interviews targeted meteorological/weather and climate experts and energy experts who were considered knowledgeable sources of data and information for this purpose. 4.3 Site Visit The research encompassed a visit to Shams 1 project which is a solar thermal energy project in Abu Dhabi, which is already supplying power to over 20,000 homes. This was in order to acquire information about public attitudes towards the project and technologies used in solar thermal energy production. Kyrpto Company’s solar thermal energy project is considered a support or complementary project to the Shams 1, to supply power to regions and homes that the Shams 1 power supply has not reached. 5.0 Results and Discussion The research methodologies designed were effective in the acquisition of data and information relevant to the aims and objectives of the research. These findings are discussed in this section under their different subject coverage in relation to the research. 5.1 Public Attitudes Several factors influence the public attitudes and acceptations towards renewable energy production. These factors are represented in the table and chart 1 below: Factors Influencing Public Attitude and Acceptations. Statistical Representations Percentage Representations Age 14 4.67% Gender 26 8.67% Social Class 8 6.67% Awareness 66 22% Place Attachment 24 8% Environmental Considerations 120 40% Policy 42 14% Chart 1 5.1.1 Interpretation of Findings Following a series of ground research about factors that influence public acceptations and attitudes towards energy projects, the following aspects were identified: Personal demographic factors such as age, gender and social class Public awareness Place attachment Environmental Considerations and Policy. The research revealed that personal factors such as age, gender and social class account for a total of 20.01% influence on public acceptations. Generally the younger age group (16-45 years) is more supportive to renewable energy sources than the old (45+ years) who still prefer the current energy technologies relying on oil and natural gas. On the other hand, public awareness seems to play a major role in influencing attitudes towards public acceptations of renewable energy projects. Mostly, the individuals who were aware of renewable energy sources supported renewable energy production as compared to those with limited or no information about these energy sources. In addition, environmental concerns were captured as the major influencers of public attitudes towards renewable energy technologies. Most of the public supporting these technologies were against the current energy production technologies because of the high carbon emissions that had damaging effects to the environment. As such they prefer renewable energy production since its overall implications on the environment are considered nothing less than safe. The implementation policies of sustainable energy technologies accounted for 14% influence on public attitudes. Proper implementation strategies and policies would go a long way to garnering public support towards sustainable energy production. 5.2 Solar Energy Potential in the UAE The interviews carried out on meteorological experts and energy experts unveiled that UAE receives adequate radiations, which when measured on radiations scale, is considered more than enough for sustainable energy production. Comparing to natural gas and oil energy production technologies, solar energy potential has significantly high sustainability potential. Chart 2 below shows compares the energy potentials of different available energy sources in the UAE. Chart 2 This data was obtained from the meteorological department of UAE and combined with other analytical findings from the site visit to the Shams 1 project in Abu Dhabi. From the chart, it can be pointed out that the current energy potential of solar energy is higher than the potentials of the massively used natural gas and oil energies combined. This only proves that UAE has enough solar potential that can be harnessed for sustainable energy production. In addition, solar energy offers long term energy security and energy efficiency as illustrated in chart 3 below. It is also noted that in terms of sustainability, renewable energy technologies, including wind energy outweigh the potentials of oil and natural gas. Chart 3 6.0 Structure and Plan 6.1 Legal Structure Krypto Company would be a cooperative. This way, any citizen of the UAE, including foreign investors can be members of the company by purchasing shares. As a cooperative, the company will be run by an elected board of directors from the company’s membership. Considering the expensive and complex nature of the operational set up, this structure is most appropriate and beneficial to the company in the following ways: Access to more funding opportunities to fund the expensive operational costs of the facility. Less taxation costs Democratic organization that guarantees effective group decision making as regarding the operation functions of the company. There would be perpetual existence allowing members to join or leave the board or company without interfering with the operations. 6.2 Organizational Structure The company will function under the leadership of one managing director who will report to the chief management, Board of Directors of the company on strategies, performance and required improvements among other things. The managing director will in turn receive communication, feedback and ideas from the manager of operations who will oversee all other functional department structures. The illustration below shows the intended organizational structure for the Company. 6.3 Marketing Plan The company targets to produce around 2,000 GWh/year of solar energy to be distributed to 50,000 homes in the UAE. This plan caters for the increasing energy demands in the UAE are provides energy efficiency to the residents of UAE. The company aims at conducting an educational drive that would sensitize UAE residents on the importance and sustainability of renewable energy sources, with particular interest in solar energy. As such, the company expects to reshape and reconstruct attitudes towards sustainable energy technologies in order to attract preferences and expand its operations to majority of the regions in UAE. 7.0 Conclusion Renewable energy sources technologies are essential in the provision of sustainable options to energy production (Al-Amir & Abu Hijleh 2013; Asif 2015). This is due to the fact that they offer long term energy security and energy efficiency (Ghaith & Abusitta 2014). While, there are many renewable energy forms, the UAE has significant solar energy potentials that can be harnessed for sustainable energy development. As such Krypto Company would offer sustainable energy production mechanism to the UAE and subsequently take care of the increasing energy demands and needs of the country. Reference List Abdmouleh, Z., Alammari, R. A., & Gastli, A. (2015). Recommendations on renewable energy policies for the GCC countries. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 50, 1181- 1191. Al-Amir, J., & Abu-Hijleh, B. (2013). Strategies and policies from promoting the use of renewable energy resource in the UAE. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 26, 660-667. Asif, M. (2015). Growth and sustainability trends in the buildings sector in the GCC region with particular reference to the KSA and UAE. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Dent, C. M. (2013). Understanding the energy diplomacies of East Asian states. Modern Asian Studies, 47(03), 935-967. Devine-Wright, P. (Ed.). (2014). Renewable Energy and the Public: from NIMBY to Participation. Routledge. Ghaith, F. A., & Abusitta, R. (2014). Energy analyses of an integrated solar powered heating and cooling systems in UAE. Energy and Buildings, 70, 117-126. Gherboudj, I., & Ghedira, H. (2015). Assessment of solar energy potential over the United Arab Emirates using remote sensing and weather forecast data. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Jafarkazemi, F., & Saadabadi, S. A. (2013). Optimum tilt angle and orientation of solar surfaces in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Renewable Energy, 56, 44-49. McVeigh, J. C. (2013). Sun power: an introduction to the applications of solar energy. Elsevier. Mezher, T., Dawelbait, G., & Abbas, Z. (2012). Renewable energy policy options for Abu Dhabi: Drivers and barriers. Energy Policy, 42, 315-328. Moriarty, P., & Honnery, D. (2012). What is the global potential for renewable energy?. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(1), 244-252. Appendix Questionnaire This Questionnaire aims at identifying the influences to public acceptations and attitudes towards solar energy technologies. The questions are not intended for any personal use. Filling the questionnaire will take around 8-10 minutes. Demographic Information 1. What is your age range? 16-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 55+ 2. What is your gender? Male Female 3. What is your current employment status? Employed Unemployed Student Retired Factors Influencing Public Acceptations 4. Which forms of energy do you have information about or know about? [You can mark more than one choice] Oil energy Natural gas Solar energy Wind Energy Nuclear Energy Other ..................................... None 5. Which form of energy technologies do you prefer? [You can mark more than one choice] Oil energy Natural gas Solar energy Wind Energy Nuclear Energy Other ..................................... None 6. What influences your preferences or attitudes towards energy technologies? Environmental Concerns Project Locations Efficiency Policy Not sure Renewable Energy Sources 7. Have you heard about renewable energy sources before? Yes No 8. Where did you get the information from? Internet Television/Radio Newspaper/Magazine School Friends None 9. What do you think about renewable energy technologies? They should be implemented They should not be implemented 10. Briefly explain the reason for your answer in (10) above. ................................................................................................................................................ Read More