Abstract
Solar power is one of the clean types of energy viewed as an alternative to conventional ones. It is considered the solution to the environmental problems and reduction of exhaustible natural resources. For this reason, the study delves into the peculiarities of the solar industry and the ways to increase effectiveness and optimise the work of plants in the Gulf Cooperation Council. The research investigates the new methods that can be used in the industry to generate more power and increase the attractiveness of this method. The objectives include determining available innovative technologies, peculiarities of their application to existing solar plants in the GCC area and possible outcomes.
Research Overview
The proposed research focuses on investigating the use of innovative methods to optimise the effectiveness of solar plants in countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The choice of the department and topic for the investigation is explained by several reasons. First of all, the current state of the environment introduces the necessity to look for new and friendly ways to produce power that should replace the traditional ones (Liu, Liu and Zhang, 2021). The conventional approaches rest on the extensive use of exhaustible resources, meaning that their amount is limited, and the search for alternatives becomes more topical. Additionally, coal, nuclear, diesel, or gas power plants are among the main pollutants leading to the fast deterioration of the environment and climate change (Liu, Liu and Zhang, 2021). For this reason, it is vital to promote the shift to new, eco-friendly technologies using renewable sources, such as solar plants.
Additionally, the GCC region has entered the phase of fast development and innovation. It means that the conditions are beneficial for introducing new and highly innovative projects. For this reason, the central issue under investigation is the opportunity to introduce new methods to boost solar plants’ performance and optimise the power industry in the area. The significance of this research comes from the fact that replacement of the old approaches with the new ones will help to reduce dependence on energy products, such as oil and coal, diversify industries and economies, and create the basis for new projects involving employment of innovative solutions and technologies. Additionally, the successful example of using solar plants in the region can influence other states and promote a faster shift to more eco-friendly methods to produce power. In such a way, the proposed research focuses on investigating the solar industry and plants, approaches used in their functioning, and opportunities for further improvement regarding the GCC region.
Research Context
Today, solar energy is viewed as one of the possible solutions to environmental problems and the gradually reducing deposits of natural resources. Multiple researchers also view it as a key to a clean energy future because of the absence of harmful emissions released into the air during the production process (Chang, 2016; Smets et al., 2016). In general, solar power implies converting renewable energy of solar radiation into electricity by using photovoltaics (PV) (Boxwel, 2021). This fact is the basis for the functioning of solar plants or photovoltaic power stations. They can be defined as photovoltaic systems (PV systems) created to convert solar emissions into energy by using a system of mirrors and solar tracking systems to focus sunlight into a small beam (Neil, Stapleton and Martell, 2021). It means that the effectiveness of these facilities depends on several factors, including the amount of solar energy per year, the area size, and technologies used to capture the sunlight and convert it (Smets et al., 2016). Improvement of one of these factors might increase solar plants effectiveness and their wider use globally.
These factors also influence the choice of the place for constructing solar plants and developing this sphere. Thus, the Gulf region possesses all characteristics needed to make it one of the areas with the improved solar industry. For instance, the UAE, one of the GCC members, has significant potential with the mean annual solar radiation of about 2285 kWh/m2 and sunshine 10 hours per day (Alnaser and Alnaser, 2019). Similar climate conditions can be observed in other Gulf countries. At the moment, all members of the Council have large projects in renewable energy, resulting in the development of the sphere (Salam and Khan, 2018). At the same time, the region is characterised by strong and evolving economics, meaning that governments possess sufficient funds to support the development of the solar industry and its optimisation by using new methods available now (Almushaikah and Almasri, 2021). The current state of knowledge allows enhancing the already existing facilities to improve their functioning. Thus, the proposed project will expand the body of evidence by offering information about how the knowledge can be applied to real-life conditions in the GCC and the possible outcomes of this incentive.
Research Questions
Regarding the information mentioned above, the following research questions are formulated:
- What are the advantages of using innovative methods in solar plants in GCC countries?
- What are the opportunities and potential for improving solar plants in GCC countries?
The given research questions stipulated introduction of the specific research objectives:
- To determine innovative methods used to increase the effectiveness of solar plants.
- To outline and discuss the benefits of using innovative technologies in solar plants.
- To investigate the current state of the solar power industry in GCC.
- To determine the opportunities for improvement by using innovative methods.
- To discuss possible benefits for the region.
Answering these questions and meeting the research objectives demand investigation of existing studies linked to the problem to determine whether the offered method can be viewed as an advantageous one. Additionally, it implies analysis of existing solar plans using the same method to conclude about their effectiveness and whether these technologies can be used in GCC. In such a way, the intended approach to answering the questions includes analysis of relevant literature and available research studies on solar plants and systems, existing models, their practical utility, and opportunities for use in various environments and settings.
Research Methods
The focus of the research and the character of issues selected for the investigation influence the choice of methods to achieve research objectives and answer research questions. First of all, the literature review is used to create the theoretical framework for the discussion (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). Analysis of relevant sources, such as academic articles, books, dissertations, reports, and case studies, will help to improve the current understanding of the issue under investigation and outline the major benefits of using new technologies in the work of solar plants. Additionally, the information about the state of the solar industry in GCC countries will be acquired by investigating governmental reports and plans regarding the development of this sector.
Second, qualitative research methods and secondary research will be employed. Collecting existing data from available sources, it is possible to establish the framework for discussing the work of solar plants in GCC and outline areas of improvement along with the interventions that might be needed to attain the desired outcomes. Additionally, the available case studies on the work of solar plants, such as the SoliTek project, will be evaluated to offer possible improvements (Advanced bifacial SoliTek solar plant, 2021). The acquired data will be analysed using content and thematic analysis to process data and outline improvements that can be applied to the discussed project (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). Furthermore, the acquired numbers regarding the effectiveness of plants using innovative methods will be compared to facilities with standard approaches to demonstrate the advantageous nature of innovations. It means that a mixed qualitative-quantitative paradigm will be employed.
Significance of Research
The significance of the proposed research comes from several factors. First of all, it contributes to expanding the existing knowledge about solar energy and its production in a particular region. Using the GCC area as the background of the study, the project will explain the major factors linked to optimising the efficiency of solar plants in the area and the outcomes associated with it. It means that the study contributes to the theoretical knowledge by explaining the nature of new methods employed to enhance the work of power plants, their implementation and integration. Additionally, it outlines the major factors influencing the work of the industry in the area and opportunities for future improvements.
At the same time, the paper has practical significance as it can be used to acquire an improved understanding of the advantages coming from using innovative methods in the solar industry. The research offers information about the boost in effectiveness associated with employing the new approaches and integrating technology into the work of solar power plants in the Gulf region. Furthermore, the central findings can be used as the basis for a new empirical investigation aimed at establishing the ground for a successful transition towards the more extensive use of renewable energy in the region. In such a way, it is possible to conclude that the significance of the research comes from using the relevant issue for investigation and the value of information offered for discussion.
Reference List
Advanced bifacial SoliTek solar plant(2021).
Almushaikah, A. S. and Almasri, R. A. (2021) ‘Evaluating the potential energy savings of residential buildings and utilizing solar energy in the middle region of Saudi Arabia – case study’, Energy Exploration & Exploitation, 39(5), pp. 1457–1490. doi:10.1177/0144598720975144.
Alnaser, N. and Alnaser, W. (2019) ‘The impact of the rise of using solar energy in GCC countries’, Renewable Energy and Environmental Sutainability,7, pp. 1–11. doi:10.1051/rees/2019004
Boxwel, M. (2021) The solar electricity handbook. Birmingham: Greenstream Publishing.
Chang, C. (2016) ‘Tracking solar collection technologies for solar heating and colling systems’ in Wang, R. and Ge, T. (eds.) Advances in solar heating and cooling. Boston: Woodhead Publishing, 81–93.
Creswell, J. and Creswell, D. (2017) Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 5th edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc.
Liu, B., Liu, Y. and Zhang, A. (2021) ‘Heterogeneous impact of CO2 emissions on renewable energy technology innovation between oil importers and exporters’, Energy & Environment, 32(2), pp. 281–294. doi:10.1177/0958305X20928934.
Neil, S., Stapleton, G. and Martell, C. (2021) Solar farms. London: Routledge.
Salam, M. A. and Khan, S. A. (2018) ‘Transition towards sustainable energy production – A review of the progress for solar energy in Saudi Arabia’, Energy Exploration & Exploitation, 36(1), pp. 3–27. doi:10.1177/0144598717737442.
Smets, A. et al. (2016) Solar energy: the physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion, technologies and systems. Cambridge: UIT Cambridge Ltd.