Decarbonization and Renewables in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): A Critical Review

The alarming increase of greenhouse gases production has boosted the proportion of renewable energy worldwide mainly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The GCC states have recently supported several projects to replace gasoline and fossil fuels with energy produced from solar, wind and geothermal sources. However, to meet the ever-increased demands for decarbonization and the tightening environmental requirements and regulations, various polices and regulatory codes are required to promote the transition from fossil fuel machinery operation to renewable energy resources and to effectively reduce the carbon footprint in the region. This review paper discusses in depth the recent progress and initiated projects, and measures undertaken by the GCC countries to transit from fossil fuel energy source to renewable energy resources. The decarbonization and energy transition have been highlighted globally and in the GCC region with more emphasis on the impact of conventional energy and greenhouse gaseous on climate change. The state-of-the-art advances in renewable energy generation in the GCC region along with the effective codes, policies and regulatory limits for sustainable renewables are also discussed in this paper. The paper also discusses the potential of the renewable energy sources in the GCC region such as wind, solar, and geothermal as replacement for fossil fuel and suggested a holistic innovative approach to ensure smooth transition from gasoline powered cars to electric ones. The findings and discussions in this review are vital for readers, policymakers, and active researchers in the field of renewable and sustainable energy sources.