228 J. OBEID
Lack of Institutional Priority, Capacity, and Consistency
Energy diversification requires significant changes in governance, and a
set of enablers including the strength of institutions, the priority rank of
alternative energy on governments’ agenda, and the policies’ consistency.
The renewable energy portfolio is mandated by the cabinets to the
ministries of energy, which have a set of portfolios and priorities across
the energy spectrum, and where renewable energy does not necessarily
rank high.
As its name implies, Jordan’s MEMR is in charge of the energy and
mineral resources, including the power sector, renewables, and fossil fuels.
Past experiences of fuel supply disruptions make the security of this supply
a major focus of the ministry. Lebanon’s MoEW comprises fossil fuels
including imports and exploration, power generation, renewables, and
water. Blamed for the economic crisis, the power sector is the focus of
the entire country including the ministry. Developing potential offshore
petroleum resources is a dominant ambition of the Lebanese politicians,
who are banking on the sector to emerge from the debt crisis. The first
offshore exploration phase was intended to start at the end of 2019 along
with the second round of licensing, but was later delayed to the first
quarter of 2020. No commercially viable discoveries have yet been made,
but any potential discovery will completely shift the government’s focus
and possibly derail the renewable energy plans, as has been the case in
emerging petroleum producers.
Renewable energy institutions developed with the evolvement of the
sector, but they have in general safeguarded the monopoly of one entity,
and dismissed a wide range of stakeholders. The global efforts in diversification have showcased the importance of engaging a wide level of
actors in reaching a sustainable transition and deploying renewable energy,
which is not witnessed in the region.
The Jordanian EDAMA initiative was launched in 2008–2009 as a
coordinating umbrella in the sector, but was later on dismissed. NERC
along with several NGOs could play a role, but there is not enough
current political will to engage them. The sector is managed and operated by MEMR. JREEEF is supposed to provide loan guarantees for
renewable energy and energy efficiency systems for small and medium
enterprises and the residential sector. In practice, the fund has mainly
Lack of Institutional Priority, Capacity, and Consistency
Energy diversification requires significant changes in governance, and a
set of enablers including the strength of institutions, the priority rank of
alternative energy on governments’ agenda, and the policies’ consistency.
The renewable energy portfolio is mandated by the cabinets to the
ministries of energy, which have a set of portfolios and priorities across
the energy spectrum, and where renewable energy does not necessarily
rank high.
As its name implies, Jordan’s MEMR is in charge of the energy and
mineral resources, including the power sector, renewables, and fossil fuels.
Past experiences of fuel supply disruptions make the security of this supply
a major focus of the ministry. Lebanon’s MoEW comprises fossil fuels
including imports and exploration, power generation, renewables, and
water. Blamed for the economic crisis, the power sector is the focus of
the entire country including the ministry. Developing potential offshore
petroleum resources is a dominant ambition of the Lebanese politicians,
who are banking on the sector to emerge from the debt crisis. The first
offshore exploration phase was intended to start at the end of 2019 along
with the second round of licensing, but was later delayed to the first
quarter of 2020. No commercially viable discoveries have yet been made,
but any potential discovery will completely shift the government’s focus
and possibly derail the renewable energy plans, as has been the case in
emerging petroleum producers.
Renewable energy institutions developed with the evolvement of the
sector, but they have in general safeguarded the monopoly of one entity,
and dismissed a wide range of stakeholders. The global efforts in diversification have showcased the importance of engaging a wide level of
actors in reaching a sustainable transition and deploying renewable energy,
which is not witnessed in the region.
The Jordanian EDAMA initiative was launched in 2008–2009 as a
coordinating umbrella in the sector, but was later on dismissed. NERC
along with several NGOs could play a role, but there is not enough
current political will to engage them. The sector is managed and operated by MEMR. JREEEF is supposed to provide loan guarantees for
renewable energy and energy efficiency systems for small and medium
enterprises and the residential sector. In practice, the fund has mainly