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Saudi Arabia

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Alternative Energy in the Middle East

Part of the book series: Energy, Climate and the Environment Series ((ECE))

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Abstract

All societies require energy services to meet basic human needs (e.g., lighting, heat, mobility, communication) and to serve productive processes (agricultural, industrial, and service sectors). Thus, energy is the lifeblood of human existence and modern civilization. For human development to be sustainable, ‘delivery of energy services needs to be secure and have low environmental impacts’.1 For the last few centuries most of the world’s energy supply has come from burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), with the latest providing the single largest contribution in the last several decades. This global energy mix is not likely to change in the foreseeable future. According to a recent report by the ExxonMobil fossil fuels will make up about 80 per cent of total energy consumption in 2040.2

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Notes

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Near East South Asia, Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University, USA

    Gawdat Bahgat (Professor)

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  1. Gawdat Bahgat
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© 2013 Gawdat Bahgat

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Cite this chapter

Bahgat, G. (2013). Saudi Arabia. In: Alternative Energy in the Middle East. Energy, Climate and the Environment Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137264589_5

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