Government to generate 5pc of energy from renewable sources

Manama : Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza yesterday said that the government had set specific targets to achieve generation of renewable energy, with five per cent of energy use being renewable by 2025 and 10 per cent by 2035 as well as a goal to increase energy efficiency.

Opening the conference and exhibition on water and energy organised by the University of Bahrain (UoB) in cooperation with the Universities of Lafra, Oxford and Aston in the United Kingdom yesterday, Dr. Mirza discussed strategic steps Bahrain had taken in the water issues, its unified water strategy and renewable energy projects for sustainable development. 

British Ambassador to Bahrain, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, the presidents of participating universities and a large number of senior officials, academics were among the 200 guests participating the conference.

Dr. Mirza spoke about the concerns of His Majesty the King, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, on the issue of water and renewable energy. 

He said Bahrain had set up the Water Resources Council under the chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister Sheakh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa. This had several ministers as members who pledged to work at the highest levels in terms of sustainability of water resources. 

The minister said this is due to the concern of His Majesty and Their Highness the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to develop a unified water strategy until 2035. He said the strategy aims at addressing the problem of water scarcity in the region and seeks to provide safe and sustainable water resources in the long term.

Dr. Mirza also spoke about renewable energy projects in Bahrain, where the Government was seeking to invest in renewable and sustainable energy, one of the priorities of the environment and urban development in the programme of work.

The minister reviewed the construction of a 100-mw solar power plant in partnership with the private sector. He mentioned that one of the important steps taken by the government in this endeavor is the establishment of the sustainable energy unit in 2014 in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme. 

The minister spoke of the setting up of the National renewable Energy Plan and the National Energy Efficiency Plan. He said the Cabinet also approved in January this year the introduction of the Net Metering system, which allows individuals and institutions to install and use solar energy in their homes and facilities.

He said the launch of the first five solar homes and linking them to the government grid of electricity in March this year was a significant step, as was the launch of the first wind Atlas in Bahrain, which is a map showing scientifically the proportion of wind availability in different regions to operate turbines that generate clean energy and produce electricity from the wind.  The minister thanked the organizers, the speakers and participants.

President of the University of Bahrain Professor Riad Hamza thanked the minister for patronizing the conference.