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MENA Region Energy, Water and Food Security Issues

MENA Region Energy, Water and Food Security Issues. Oman, February 22-23, 2011 Francis Ato Brown, Sector Manager for Water. Water Scarcity. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is considered the most water-scarce region of the world

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MENA Region Energy, Water and Food Security Issues

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  1. MENA Region Energy, Water and Food Security Issues Oman, February 22-23, 2011 Francis Ato Brown, Sector Manager for Water

  2. Water Scarcity • The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is considered the most water-scarce region of the world • As the region’s population continues to grow, per capita water availability is set to fall by 50 percent by 2050 • It is also predicted with that climate change affects in weather and precipitation patterns the region will experience more frequent and severe droughts and floods

  3. Scarce Water Resources…Lowest per capita water resources worldwide Average annual renewable sources in MNA at 1,200 m3/year compared to 7,000 m3/year globally 14 out of the top 20 Water Scarce Countries Annual renewable water resources per capita

  4. And water scarcity is increasing….. Renewable water resources per capita (m3/year) by Country Source: FAO AquaStat 2008

  5. Rationale for Action…. • Water is scarce in the region, and getting scarcer with time…water will become a challenge to growth…the trend is not sustainable • Desalination on a larger scale has environmental and energy implications (brine, GHG emissions, energy security)…should be sustainable. • Renewable energy (e.g., CSP) is possible, making it a feasible energy alternative…MENA is also suitable for CSP. • Countries in MENA are already leading the innovation and market demand for desal: • Some countries use desal water for 100% of their water need • MENA countries are on the cutting edge of innovation in the combined use of desal and RE, mainly CSP (e.g., Saudi and IBM) • The region would benefit from cultivating the desert for a growing population and economy, using the natural resources that are barely tapped: desert land, salty water and solar energy, in order to ensure sustainable development…but action has to start soon and on large scale to benefit from economy of scale.

  6. Addressing the challenge requires multi-pronged approach • Demand side management: • Strengthen institutions to support a move towards more efficient resource use • Support policies that rationalize demand for water services • Support investments in efficiency improvement 2. Supply Augmentation: • Introduce/scale-up technologies in desalination and reuse • Support innovations in renewable energy (e.g., CSP) • Support innovations in concentrate management • Support water quality protection and storage capacity, including aquifer recharge…

  7. MENA region is rich in solar resources Favorable for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Worth considering for CSP

  8. Rationale for CSP Development in MENA • High potential for application of the technology exists in MENA itself • Compared to other renewable energy technologies such as photovoltaic or wind energy, the CSP potential is limited in many of the major developed countries • A CSP industry in MENA could serve not only the regional market but also existing markets in Southern Europe, the USA and elsewhere • Examples of emerging wind industries in India and China demonstrate the positive effects that manufacturing of innovative renewable energy technologies can have on the respective economies • MENA could become home to a new, high potential industry in a region with large solar energy resources and benefit from the associated job- and wealth creation

  9. CSP Project Development Current CSP projects classified by applied technology [in MW capacity] • CSP projects by country (operating,under construction and in planning phase) Sun & Wind Energy 6/2010

  10. Desalination Using Renewable Energy ? • The demand-supply gap must be bridged • Large scale seawater desalination may be used to close the gap • Renewable energy, especially Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) for seawater desalination could be a viable means to close this demand-supply gap.

  11. Feedback From this Workshop 1.What are the available options to bridge the water demand gap (in terms of policy, technology, financing, institutions, etc)? 2. How do you see the implications of such decisions on • energy, water and food security in the region? • environment (e.g., sustainability of the health of the regional seas due to concentrate management, GHG emissions, etc)?

  12. Feedback From this Workshop 3. Desalinated water is more expensive and it consumes a lot of energy • What available strategies to (a) reduce cost, and (b) support countries that have less oil (but still have scarce water) • What are the strategic long-term options that the countries in the region should consider in order to sustain growth? • How could the region benefit from seawater and desert sun--both are abundantly available--to solve challenges in two of the most important sectors (water and energy)? • How could the region invest in technologies (desalination, RE/CSP, etc) that could make use of such abundant resources and create jobs for its burgeoning young population?

  13. Thank You! fbrown@worldbank.org

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