KISR discusses Kuwait’s future energy mix

Dr Saad S Al-Jandal

21 April 2019, Kuwait City, Kuwait: Liquid fossil fuel and Natural Gas will not be the only energy resources for power generation in Kuwait, said Dr Saad S Al-Jandal, Research Scientist, Energy and Building Research Center (EBRC), Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR). He was discussing the country’s growing move to diversify its energy sources. “Kuwait is embarking into achieving 15% of power generation from renewable technologies by 2030 and to meeting the estimated power demand of 147 terawatt hours (TWh),” he said. “Also, by 2030, Kuwait will have the energy mix with renewables that may require more than USD 40 billion investments in Renewable Energy.”

Dr Al-Jandal said the reduction in cost of renewable energy-related technologies will further encourage Kuwait to make more upfront investments in renewable energy technology, help upgrade the ideal power generation capacities and facilitate the move towards a smart power grid. “Kuwait could also be a corridor for cross-border trading with Iraq, Iran and beyond, by benefiting from the GCC region’s connection power grid,” he said. In view of the strategic and promising investment opportunities, Dr Al-Jandal said he believes there is strong potential for Renewable Energy power generation alongside current oil and gas resources, and for exporting and connecting to a planned wider Arab grid, and, possibly, even farther to Europe and other countries in Western Asia.