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Kuwait plans to boost energy efficiency

Kuwait, May 26, 2013

Kuwait aims to generate 15 per cent of the country's power requirements from renewable sources by 2030, said senior government officials ahead of a key industry event.

The 'Kuwait Energy & Efficiency 2013' conference is being organised by Meed Events from June 2 to 3 with the support of the Ministry of Electricity & Water and Kuwait National Petroleum Company.

The event will see the country's senior government officials, policymakers and influential private sector stakeholders gather at the Hilton Kuwait Resort to chart out a national energy efficiency strategy.

The move comes as part of Kuwait’s efforts to reduce energy consumption rates, which is one of the highest in the world, said experts.

At the rate Kuwait is consuming energy, with the average Kuwaiti using 22 times more resources than the country provides per person, experts believe it will need as much as 20 per cent of its oil production capacity just for energy generation by 2017 – a consumption pattern deemed unsustainable given that 66 per cent of the country’s GDP is dependent on the oil industry.

The conference provides an excellent platform to debate and discuss a sustainable energy plan for Kuwait, including identifying concrete solutions that will help energy consumption in the country, said experts.

According to them, Kuwait’s increasing energy consumption has been driven by a number of factors.

"Heavily subsidized electricity prices, an increase in local and expatriate population, a rise in economic activity largely generated around oil production and increased penetration of modern conveniences such as cars and electrical goods has created a rising demand for energy which outstrips the oil rich country’s current capacity," they added.

Dr Mershan Al-Otaibi, the assistant undersecretary for planning and training, Ministry of Electricity and Water, Kuwait said, "We are analyzing Kuwait’s energy consumption trends and developing measures to attain energy efficiency as a key platform of governance for Kuwait’s long-term economic development goals."

"This conference will be a critical step in formulating policies and initiatives that will help us attain sustainable energy practices," he added.

The highlights include keynote addresses by Ministry of Electricity & Water, KPC, KNPC, Ministry of Oil, KOC and the Environmental Public Authority on the development and implementation of Kuwait’s energy efficiency policies, as well as on measures that will be implemented to balance sustainable economic growth with environmental targets.

The International Energy Agency will present its overview of the 25 policy recommendations for the Middle East, including how Kuwait can develop its own energy efficiency indicators and how it can implement energy sustainability policies.

Automation technology giant ABB is one of the Workshop Leaders for the conference and will lead discussions on energy efficiency in the power sector.

"The region, as in the rest of the world, is facing a serious energy challenge. Our best hope of addressing this is to use energy more efficiently. Estimates suggest energy efficiency improvements could deliver half the cuts in emissions needed to slow global warming over the next 25 years," remarked Richard Ledgard, the country manager ABB in Kuwait.

"Using energy more efficiently will also help Kuwait improve its competitiveness by freeing up oil and gas for export," he added.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Renewable energy | Electricity | Kuwait |

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