Renewables are changing the climate narrative from sacrifice to opportunity

Accelerating signs of climate change and rising global temperatures are perhaps more pressing here in the Middle East, where the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) is headquartered, than anywhere else on the planet.

Record-breaking temperatures made global headlines this year and a recent scientific study predicts the region will face heatwaves “beyond the limit of human survival” if climate change remains unchecked.

Indications are clear that after more than 20 years of negotiations among more than 190 countries, the UN climate conference in Paris in December – COP21 – will be a turning point in the fight against climate change. For the first time at any climate conference, renewable energy solutions will take centre stage in a series of high-profile events coupled with new commitments and announcements.

In doing so, it will also transform the climate change narrative from one of managing constraints to one of opportunity.

Take solar power in the Middle East and North Africa for example. Even though this part of the world boasts astronomical solar potential, petroleum-based economies have traditionally deployed limited renewable energy.

But dramatically falling solar photovoltaic costs, and visionary commitments by regional governments, are changing the economic equation. A solar photovoltaic tender in Dubai earlier this year resulted in record-low price of $0.06 per kilowatt hour – cheaper than domestically produced gas generation. Jordan’s recent tender results locked in power prices of between $0.06-0.08.

For oil-producing nations that use a substantial share for power generation, solar is increasingly the quickest, least-risk investment to add export capacity and revenue while satisfying rapid demand growth for electricity.

This shift is causing huge development and investment across the region.Morocco is building the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant, which will provide half the country’s energy by 2020. The UAE is building what could eventually be one of the world’s largest solar photovoltaic plants. Additional projects are in the works in Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.