Workshop touts benefits of solar energy

The abundance of sunlight in Lebanon may be the cleanest and most viable energy alternative to oil, according to experts who attended a workshop on renewable energy hosted by the Lebanese Environmental Party on Friday. "The politics of energy are controlled by the oil industry," said Habib Maalouf, president of the Environmental Party. "We are working to liberate the energy sector from this influence and to promote the energy we naturally possess in Lebanon, like solar energy."

Participants at the conference agreed that climate change was also a major concern driving their goals to establish renewable energy structures.

As "about 97 percent of Lebanon's energy is oil-based," renewable energy needs to be developed considering the abundance thereof, Maalouf said.

Sunlight is the leading alternative as conventional wind turbines are costly to build and require huge swaths of flat land and wind, which Lebanon lacks.

Experts at the conference agreed that sunlight is the most viable resource to develop. Sunlight can be stored in solar panels to be used later as energy. The workshop focused on using this energy for heating water domestically and industrially.

"Solar energy is the first target and there's much to be done on the government's side - all new buildings should be obliged to install solar panels as Spain has done," said Jean-Paul Sfeir, president of the Lebanese Solar Energy Society. "Old buildings should be given financial assistance through tax breaks."

Savings in energy bills in the first three years generally pay for the cost of installing solar panels, Sfeir said. For oil the investment-return term is five years, and it pollutes the environment.

Though prospects are bright for Lebanon's potential solar-energy market, it's not enough.

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"No, Lebanon couldn't rely on solar energy alone," Sfeir said. "But in 10-15 years we may be able to save 8 percent of fuel-[based] electricity-production through solar energy," if 50 percent of the population starts using solar energy.

"The private sector is doing its best," said Sfeir, who works with Solarnet, a solar-panel installation firm. "It's a pity we can't rely on our government."

As states worldwide increasingly invest in solar energy, Lebanon is making progress, though the push comes from the private sector. Lebanon's annual average solar-panel installation figures are higher than the global average, Sfeir said. However, this is largely due to Lebanon's late start in recognizing the advantages of solar power.

The workshop noted that not only is the government's commitment to renewable energy alternatives half-hearted, but that existing practices are not up to par. The government uses oil instead of natural gas - the latter a cheaper and cleaner alternative.

"Right now there is minimal renewable energy use in Lebanon; it's less than 1 percent," says Wael Hmaidan, an activist with the local non-governmental organization Greenline. "This doesn't include hydroelectric energy, but wind and solar."

Though the workshop worked on a list of suggestions to boost Lebanon's renewable energy sector, they agreed the government needs to up its ante.

"The first thing that should happen is the Lebanese government must develop a complete energy strategy, which they currently don't have," says Hmaidan. "The government has energy laws, but no long-term strategy. We need a renewable energy law and to establish the required administrative structure."

By Maria Abi-Habib

Special to The Daily Star

Saturday, January 13, 2007