News
BBL Announcement: Promise and Challenge of Energy Integration in the Mashreq Countries, Thursday, April 8,
April 02 2010
Date/Time: Thursday, April 8, 2010, 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM, Room MC7-100
Chair: Istvan Dobozi, ESMAP Lead Energy Economist
Speaker: Husam Beides, Sr Energy Specialist, MENA
Enhanced regional energy integration offers great opportunities for the Mashreq countries of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. High economic growth has led to rapid energy demand growth, and expanded power generating capacity - along with conservation measures - is urgently needed for all countries. ESMAP recently supported a study in the MENA region to examine the positive role that increased energy integration can play to address this.
- Current and projected energy balances for the Mashreq countries
- Rationale for greater integration for both electricity and gas
- Potential integration projects with pros and cons for each
- Integration and solar energy (CSP) scale-up
- Barriers to integration projects
- Economics and gas and electricity trade
- Lessons from Mashreq integration for other regions
- Possible roles of WBG and partners
Although the study focuses on Mashreq countries, issues of regional integration are intertwined among various MENA sub-regions and Turkey with eventual integration with Europe and the large scale development of renewable energy resources (solar in particular) in the region.
The study is conducted in the context of the World Bank Arab World Initiative and supported by ESMAP. Its results are helping set the agenda for integration in the Mashreq region.
Hosted by ESMAP Regional Energy Integration Strategies Program (REISP).