12 September 2026 9:24 am

Arab power, renewable energy projects net $351bn FDI

Sep 29, 2025

Arab power, renewable energy projects net $351bn FDI

KUWAIT,

 

The Arab electricity and renewable energy sector attracted a total of 360 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects valued at more than $351 billion over the last two decades, according to a report by Kuwait-based Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman).
These projects created over 83,000 jobs during the period from January 2003 to December 2024, it stated.
In its second report for 2025 on the Arab power and renewable energy sector, issued from its headquarters in Kuwait, Dhaman said that five countries: Egypt, Morocco, the UAE, Mauritania and Jordan, made up approximately 69% of the number of projects (248 projects), around 83% of the Capex ($291 billion), and 82% of the new jobs (approximately 68000 jobs).
The Dhaman report is based on four key pillars:
*Arab production capacities and consumption until 2030
*Foreign trade in power and energy generation equipment for 2024
*Foreign investments in the renewable energy sector and
*Assessment of the sector’s investment and business risks.
The report showed that the UAE has topped the list as the region’s top investor in renewable energy over 22 years, based on the number of projects, investment costs and jobs, with 57 projects, or 16% of the total, a value exceeding $88.5 billion, or 25%, and more than 16000 jobs.
The top 10 companies investing in the power sector in each index accounted for around 25% of the number of implemented projects, 40% of Capex, and 38% of the total new jobs, said the report by Dhaman.
Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power topped the list in terms of the number of projects with 20, accounting for around 6% of foreign projects in renewable energy, while the UAE’s Infinity Power ranked as the largest investor in the sector based on Capex, with a value of $34 billion, or 10% of the total.
The Indian company Acme also led in terms of the number of new jobs created, with more than 4000 employment opportunities, representing 5.2% of the total, according to the report.
Five Arab countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt, invested in 90 inter-Arab renewable energy projects, accounting for roughly 25% of the sector’s foreign projects over 22 years.
These projects were implemented with Capex of approximately $113 billion, or more than 32% of the total Capex of the FDI projects in the sector, providing approximately 22000 jobs, it stated.
Based on Fitch Ratings’ assessment of investment and business risks and rewards in the electricity and energy sector in 14 Arab countries, by monitoring and measuring two main indicators, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman topped the Arab rankings as the best and most attractive Arab countries for investment in the power and energy sector in 2025.
They were followed by Morocco, Egypt and Algeria respectively, it stated.
Generated electricity in the Arab region (15 countries) is likely to surge by 4.2% to exceed 1,500 terawatt-hours by the end of 2025 and is even projected to keep rising to 1,754 terawatt-hours by 2030.
Electricity generation is largely concentrated geographically, with five countries – Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Iraq and Algeria – making up 74% of the region’s total electricity generation by the end of 2025, it said.
The report noted that electricity consumption in Arab countries is forecast to edge up by 3.5% to 1,296 terawatt-hours by the end of 2025, with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Algeria and Kuwait accounting for 74% of the region’s total electricity consumption: around 958 terawatt-hours.
Average per capita electricity generated in Arab countries is forecast to go up by 3.1% to 8.6 thousand kilowatt-hours by the end of 2025, amid forecasts of a hike to roughly 9.6 thousand kilowatt-hours by 2030.
Arab foreign trade in power generation equipment and electric current shot up by 8% to approximately $39.2 billion in 2024, with five countries – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq and Qatar – making up 81% of the total.
This is the result of a surge in power generation equipment and electric current exports of Arab countries by 9% to roughly $7.6 billion and its imports by 7.8% to more than $31.5 billion in 2024.
The list of the region’s top 10 exporting countries made up around 78% of total Arab electricity and power generation equipment imports, valued at $24.7 billion.

 

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Why Don’t More People Feel The Solar Industry Is Trustworthy?

Why Don’t More People Feel The Solar Industry Is Trustworthy?

Sep 23, 2025

Why Don’t More People Feel The Solar Industry Is Trustworthy?

The image above is for illustration credit – EDF Energy

https://www.edfenergy.com

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solar industry

Why Don’t More People Feel The Solar Industry Is Trustworthy?

By Carolyn Fortuna
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Support CleanTechnica’s work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe.

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The solar power industry is soaring. Developers added 12 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale solar electric generating capacity in the US during the first half of 2025, and they plan to add another 21 GW in the second half of the year. The buildout to 64 GW that developers plan to bring online this year means that solar is helping the world meet its climate goals by replacing fossil fuels. Yet, unfortunately, solar inroads sometimes get overshadowed by consumer discontent with the solar industry.

A recent CleanTechnica survey was designed to get a sense of how our readers feel about solar. While we’re still crunching the data, we found the response to one question particularly striking.

When asked to describe the degree to which they agreed with the statement, “I think the solar industry is trustworthy,” the average rating was only 3.5 out of a possible 5. Said another way, over 35% of respondents answered in the poor to middle range.

Why is that? What kinds of interactions have potential or actual solar customers had with solar industry representatives? What has happened to make the same individuals who love rooftop solar feel much less positive about the industry itself?

If you have an explanation based on your own personal experience, will you please write it in the comments section at the end? It will help us to understand this malaise in response to the solar industry.

Meanwhile, here is a complication of research that offers some rationale why consumers are reluctant to term the solar industry “trustworthy.” How do these conclusions jive with your own exchanges with the solar industry?

From Early Days to a Thriving Industry

A number of milestones track the evolution of the solar industry. Here are some highlights:

  • With improving technology, falling costs, and federal policy support, the US officially eclipsed one gigawatt of solar electric generating capacity in 2008.
  • Burlington, Vermont became the first city in the country to be entirely powered by renewable sources in September 2014.
  • In 2017, the US solar industry hit a SunShot Initiative goal three years ahead of schedule when average utility-scale solar prices fell below $1/watt for the first time ever. Considering this early success, the DOE began looking towards their SunShot 2030 goals, which aimed to reduce the cost of solar-generated electricity by 50% between 2020 and 2030.
  • Now in 2025 solar energy has become the #1 source of new electricity generation capacity in the US, like in other markets around the world.

What began as a group of well-meaning hippies who loved the idea of getting electricity from the sun transformed into hundreds of viable solar companies in the mass marketplace. Most of the companies today are reputable and reliable.

A handful, however, have leaned more toward profit than integrity and introduced questionable sales and financing practices. That minority seems to have had a lasting hold on the solar industry’s reputation.

Customer dissatisfaction with the US residential rooftop solar industry have increased over the years.

Disgruntled solar customers have cited numerous complaints including exaggerated savings claims, high pressure sales and unclear contracts, unexpected costs and hidden fees, installation delays and scheduling problems, poor installation quality and safety concerns, poor customer service and lack of support, inaccurate or unclear performance data, problems with financing and loan terms, unclear or misleading warranty information, and misunderstanding or misrepresentation of tax credits.

Complaints against the Solar Industry Increased with Solar Adoptions

Complaints to the Federal Trade Commission’s ReportFraud.ftc.gov that contain the word “solar” increased four-fold over as many years.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) outlines that the market for residential solar panels continues to grow, in large part due to declining solar panel costs. With that growth, the CFPB noted in 2024 that marketing and door-to-door sales of solar-related financial products had become more prevalent. It warned solar customers about hidden fees and misleading statements about the financial benefits of solar. (Note: Yes, the CFPB is still open, even with Trump administration attempts to shutter it.)

As complaints against solar companies mounted, state attorneys general got involved.

In July 2024, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong sued SunRun and two smaller companies to which it subbed work. The lawsuit alleged deceptive, unfair, and illegal sales of solar power systems. “The complaints we have seen—including forged signatures, impersonations of consumers, non-permitted work, and non-functioning systems—are beyond shocking,” Tong said in a statement. In October 2024 Tong announced a $20,000 settlement with EnergyBillCruncher.com, resolving an investigation regarding false claims on social media.

This month Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison obtained Assurances of Discontinuance against Ambia Energy and Everlight Solar, alleging their door-to-door salespeople engaged in deceptive and misleading conduct in their attempts to sell residential solar arrays to Minnesotans and violated state law regarding door-to-door sales. “We think that having rooftop solar is good for the environment and does save people money. We don’t want people deceived, though,” Adam Welle, a lawyer with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, told NPR.

Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Brian L. Schwalb issued a Consumer Alert last week to help inform District residents about predatory practices in the home solar system sales and loan industry. “District residents should be on high alert that some home solar system companies use misleading, high-pressure sales tactics to get them to sign predatory contracts,” Schwalb warned.

Solar Industry Advocates take on Unscrupulous Sales Reps

The trade group Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has confronted the trustworthiness issue head on by developing standards member companies can agree to follow. “We want to make sure that there are no exploitative or unfair sales practices happening in our industry,” says Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA president and CEO. The accredited standards have training requirements for solar salespeople and ensure customers have the information they need to make an informed decision.

One of the most important standards requires each solar industry company to regularly examine and consider the possibility of violations in all aspects of its business that touch on consumers or their interests. Those could include marketing, sales, origination, contract terms, contract options, installation, servicing, and loss mitigation.

Several companies in the solar industry have signed onto a service called Recheck, which will allow “companies to vet sales partners, prevent poor practices by unregistered salespeople, and identify individuals with a history of consumer protection violations who try to move from company to company.”

A recent federal program called Solar for All offers solar to low-income households. To avoid “unscrupulous characters,” the Environmental Protection Agency plans to fund efforts to create lists of reputable solar installers who participate in the program.

Efforts to weed out corrupt solar industry sales reps are important. We need to help solar to become as commonplace as possible. After all, as climate activist Bill McKibben reminds us, “Paradigm shifts like this don’t come along often.” The Industrial Revolution and the computer revolution are other big-time but infrequent examples of comparable systemic change.

We can’t let a few bad eggs sully the solar industry, can we?

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Partners to drive Corporate Decarbonisation in MENA

Sep 11, 2025

AEPCo and elementsix partner to drive corporate decarbonisation in MENA

AEPCo and elementsix have launched an integrated clean energy and ESG solution for Gulf companies, helping businesses measure, reduce, and offset emissions while navigating upcoming corporate climate disclosure rules.

by Nora Watts

Alternative Energy Projects Co. (AEPCo), a renewable energy developer with a 650 MW project portfolio across more than 20 installations in the MENA region, has partnered with Dubai-based carbon and ESG advisory firm elementsix to accelerate corporate decarbonisation in the Gulf and broader MENA region.

According to the report by Zawya, the integrated solution allows companies to measure their carbon footprint, define reduction strategies, and deploy actionable clean energy projects under one umbrella.

The partnership comes amid increasing regulatory pressure. Kuwait’s Capital Markets Authority and the UAE’s Federal Decree-Law No. 11 are introducing binding corporate climate disclosure rules within the next 12–18 months.

At the same time, the region’s clean energy transition is accelerating: GCC countries are expected to deploy 40 GW of utility-scale solar capacity by 2030, while the wider MENA region is projected to add 62 GW over the next five years, with solar accounting for more than 85% of that growth, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Zawya said.

AEPCo and elementsix’s collaboration aims to fill a critical gap in this evolving landscape. Elementsix brings expertise in carbon accounting and ESG strategy, while AEPCo contributes project development, execution, and financing capabilities. Together, they offer solutions ranging from solar and wind energy deployment to energy efficiency upgrades and emissions tracking.

The partnership provides:

  • Full-cycle carbon footprint analysis and reduction planning
  • Development of clean energy assets aligned with corporate targets
  • Access to global carbon markets and renewable energy certificates
  • Strategic ESG alignment for investor confidence and regulatory readiness

AEPCo’s regional footprint across oil & gas, finance, real estate, and heavy industry gives elementsix immediate access to high-impact emissions sources. This combination positions the partnership to deliver scalable climate solutions quickly.

“You can’t say just anything about renewables!” 

“You can’t say just anything about renewables!” 

Sep 6, 2025

“You can’t say just anything about renewables!” Catherine MacGregor

RENEWABLE ENERGIES

By ENGIE – 05 September 2025

In an opinion piece published in Le Figaro, a French daily newspaper, on 5 September 2025, Catherine MacGregor denounces the false figures being circulated in public debate about renewables, and reminds readers that they generate more revenue than they cost.

 

over-the-years-image

Catherine McGregor

Contrary to what many of their critics suggest, renewable energy pays off more than it costs.

 

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Renewable energy brings in far more than it costs, contrary to the disinformation contest that dominated the summer. If you listen to the critics, renewables are useless, too expensive, and rejected by the French. This simplistic and dangerous narrative thrives even more in today’s climate of uncertainty, as our energy policy still lacks a clear course, with France’s Multi-Year Energy Program (PPE) still on hold.

 

This summer, the controversy crystallized around a fantasy number: 300 billion euros in supposed costs tied to renewable energy development over the next ten years. Faced with such an impressive figure, reason stalls. Yet it is based on a crude tally of unrelated investments—grids, public support, infrastructure—spread across very different timelines, some extending all the way to 2060. A serious estimate reduces this figure to about 50 billion euros over ten years, and even then, only in a low-electricity-price scenario. Because when electricity prices rise, renewables generate income for the state, as happened during the energy crisis—to the tune of €5.5 billion in just two years!

 

No, renewables are not driving bills through the roof. Wind and solar account for less than 5% of the increase in electricity bills over the past decade. Halting their development would mean giving up on phasing out fossil fuels. France’s grid operator RTE has demonstrated it clearly: reaching carbon neutrality without a massive rollout of renewables is simply impossible. Denying this reality means turning our backs on climate commitments and jeopardizing the future of coming generations.

 

It also means ignoring that renewables are a lever of sovereignty, competitiveness, and jobs. By reducing our dependence on imported gas and oil—often from unstable or authoritarian regimes—they strengthen our independence. Thirty-five years of renewable support (assuming they yielded nothing) would equal just one year of the national oil bill. For every French citizen, that means about 1,000 euros a year at the pump. Developing renewables is about rejecting a model of dependence which indebts and impoverishes us all.

 

Renewables are increasingly competitive: in ten years, the cost of solar has fallen 10-fold, wind 3-fold. They help drive down wholesale energy prices, exerting a moderating effect on long-term costs. The truth is, they pay off: for every euro of public support, companies invest 6 euros in France. Even more, they create value at the heart of local communities—something rural areas know well. A single wind turbine brings in 10,000 euros a year in local tax revenue, funding tangible projects: school renovations, church roofs, public facilities. They generate local jobs (50,000 direct jobs), durable and non-offshorable, fueling the reindustrialization of the country. And the idea of a moratorium would mean putting these emerging industries on pause—in other words, condemning them forever. An industrial absurdity!

 

For all these reasons, and contrary to what some suggest, the French know we need renewables and recognize their benefits. Let’s stop pitting energy sources against each other, because this debate is settled: according to a recent IFOP poll, people believe the country needs both nuclear and renewables for electricity production. The real question is not whether we risk producing too much electricity, but how to electrify our uses (heating, mobility, industry) to move away from fossil fuels. Transitioning from thermal to electric is the key to a sustainable energy model. To stop now would be to weaken France tomorrow.

 

While we waste time in sterile debates, other powers are moving forward. China and India are creating the conditions for their sovereignty and competitiveness. Closer to home, in Poland, in June 2025, 44% of electricity was generated from renewables, compared to 43% from coal, its historic power source. While awaiting nuclear’s arrival in several years—another option chosen by Polish authorities—it is renewables that are already driving the country’s decarbonization.

 

So let’s take our destiny back into our own hands, and bet on renewables too!

Read the opinion piece published in Le Figaro

Navigating solar energy transitions in oil-rich countries

Navigating solar energy transitions in oil-rich countries

Aug 30, 2025

Navigating solar energy transitions in oil-rich countries at a time when increased energy demand, global warming, and the economic ramifications of fossil fuel consumption have prompted governments to pursue net-zero emission targets. In this context, renewable energy development is paramount, particularly in oil-rich nations within the MENA region.
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Image above is for illustration – courtesy of Kazinform
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Navigating solar energy transitions in oil-rich countries: A network-based study of collaborative governance in Iranbased study of collaborative governance in Iran

Science Direct Original research article

Abstractbased study of collaborative governance in Iran

Increased energy demand, global warming, and the economic ramifications of fossil fuel consumption have propelled governments toward achieving net-zero emission targets. In this context, renewable energy (RE) development is paramount, particularly in oil-rich nations within the Middle East and North Africa region. This research focuses on Iran, examining collaborative governance as a pivotal driver in the transition to solar energy (SE). The energy transition is an inherently complex and multifaceted process, fraught with numerous challenges, necessitating effective stakeholder collaboration. This study employs two-mode social network analysis (SNA) to analyze the structure of collaborative governance in Iran’s SE transition and to link existing obstacles to relevant stakeholders. Data were meticulously gathered through a comprehensive literature review, semi-structured interviews, expert surveys, and document analysis. The resulting network comprises 39 stakeholders across 11 categories, 16 key barriers within 5 classifications, and 92 interconnections among them. Furthermore, 12 fundamental challenges to collaborative governance were identified, indicative of institutional weaknesses and policy-level inconsistencies. Utilizing interactive models—specifically, challenge–stakeholder and challenge–barrier models—the role of each stakeholder in addressing challenges and their impact on existing barriers was thoroughly investigated. Findings reveal challenges such as power imbalance, lack of cooperation, fragmented rules and regulations across levels of governance, lack of coordination and institutional alignment, and the impact of administrative corruption on resource allocation in the SE transition. This research provides actionable insights for policymakers to design targeted interventions that strengthen collaborative governance and facilitate a more effective transition to SE in Iran.

Introduction

The Paris Agreement is designed to restrict the increase in worldwide temperatures to under 2 degrees Celsius [1]. Over 100 national governments have set, or are considering, net-zero emissions targets [2]. RE is among the most effective solutions for the continuously growing energy demand [3]. RE is increasingly competing with fossil fuels; however, it is becoming mainstream and relies on industrial and commercial development [4]. Most RE projects are located in developed countries. These countries often lack fossil fuel resources and are therefore compelled to utilize RE to fulfill their energy requirements across various sectors.
Given the increasing environmental concerns and the economic repercussions of rising oil and gas consumption, it is essential to adopt and expand RE in oil-rich countries, including many in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region [5]. In these countries, the transition to RE faces a unique set of barriers. These barriers stem from technical and financial constraints, structural dependencies on fossil fuel revenues, entrenched policy preferences, and geopolitical considerations [6,7]. Subsidies for fossil fuels, underdeveloped infrastructure, insufficient policy frameworks, and institutional stagnation collectively hinder the shift toward clean energy [[8], [9], [10], [11]].
Moreover, despite the region’s vast solar potential, RE projects are often deprioritized in favor of conventional energy sources. A critical shortcoming in the existing literature and policymaking approaches is the limited attention to stakeholder dynamics in overcoming barriers. Research treats barriers to RE in isolation, without accounting for the complex web of relationships among policy actors, institutions, and governance frameworks [12,13]. Identifying who these stakeholders are and how they are connected is crucial for designing effective energy transition policies.
Governance structures in oil-rich nations further complicate the deployment of SE. These systems are often hierarchical, centralized, and resistant to collaborative policymaking [14]. Political instability, budgetary constraints, and low institutional capacity limit the ability to formulate and implement inclusive energy strategies [15]. In such contexts, energy governance tends to be top-down, with limited room for innovation, dialogue, or stakeholder engagement, exacerbating existing barriers.
Collaborative governance has been proposed as a promising approach to overcome these limitations. Ansell and Gash [16] define collaborative governance as structured interactions among governmental and non-governmental actors to achieve consensus-driven policy outcomes. In the context of RE, this approach can enhance coordination, align priorities, and build trust among diverse stakeholders [18,19]. It emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity in decision-making processes, particularly critical in fragmented and politically sensitive regions. A collaborative governance system involving diverse actors—governmental, non-governmental, and user groups—can effectively tackle unpredictable complexities [12]. Therefore, collaborative governance plays a vital role in ensuring the quality of the energy transition [19]. It highlights the importance of engaging with various stakeholders through diverse methods such as dialogue, consultation, negotiation, and more [20].
However, collaborative governance has challenges, especially in oil-rich rentier states. These challenges significantly impede SE development. For instance, they structurally perpetuate barriers to SE expansion through the mediation of unequal power dynamics, weak institutional coordination, and the exclusion of marginalized actors [21]. Furthermore, heterogeneity and unjust decision-making in policy and governance, coupled with structural inequalities in the distribution of energy infrastructure and services, contribute to disparities and, consequently, hidden barriers [22] to SE development. The absence of inclusive collaboration and stakeholder consultation is a governance challenge that hinders SE’s sustainable and effective development [23].
Previous studies have examined the challenges of collaborative governance [24], the organization of collaborative governance through stakeholder participation [25], and the barriers to collaborative governance [26] separately in the context of SE implementation [27]. However, the review highlights a significant gap in the theoretical literature regarding how collaborative governance challenges impact the barriers and various stakeholder relationships in SE development, particularly in oil-rich countries.
Iran, being one of the countries in the Middle East, has significant potential for harnessing RE such as SE. Despite having around 300 sunny days per year and being ranked among the sunniest regions in the world, SE holds only a minor share of Iran’s energy mix [28]. Iran’s government has a hierarchical structure that has not effectively addressed the challenge of utilizing its energy resources. The political discourse of the country has preferred fossil fuels as the primary source for meeting increasing electricity demand [29,30].

This study examined the governance structure impacting Iran’s SE generation through two-mode SNA. In particular, we address four interrelated research questions:

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    Which stakeholders are involved in developing Iran’s SE?
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    What are the barriers to SE development in Iran?
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    What are the relationships between stakeholders and barriers at various levels?
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    How do collaborative governance challenges impact the relationship between specific barriers and the engagement of various stakeholders in the SE transition process in Iran?
This study identifies stakeholders and barriers to the development of SE in Iran through a literature review and interviews with experts. Based on the data collected from expert questionnaires, a two-mode network model (barrier–stakeholder) was created to illustrate the power of stakeholders in a network relationship. Then, the challenges of collaborative governance in Iran were discussed based on expert interviews. Moreover, the mediating role of collaborative governance challenges in the interaction between barriers and the role of various stakeholders was analyzed.
We contribute to the energy transition literature in three key areas. First, we provide an overview of SE development stakeholders and barriers in Iran to illustrate the representation of various interests in the country. Second, by mapping the relationships between stakeholders and barriers, we analyze their interactions to understand each stakeholder’s role better. This is significant because researchers focusing on SE development in Iran have not yet provided a comprehensive overview of the country. Third, by examining the challenges of collaborative governance in RE in an oil-rich country, we contribute to the literature on transformative collaborative governance. This research elucidates how challenges in collaborative governance impact the barriers and various stakeholder relationships in SE development in Iran. The collaborative governance approach illustrates how specific stakeholders cannot influence SE not due to a lack of resources, but rather because of the restrictive governance structure.
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