The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) indicated that the aggregate capacity of renewable energy in Lebanon reached 1,297 megawatts (MW) in 2024, unchanged from 2023 and relative to a capacity of 298 MW in 2015, which constitutes a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.8% during the 2015-24 period. In comparison, the capacity for renewable energy grew by a CAGR of 18.4% in the Arab world and by 10.2% globally during the covered period. It said that renewable energy accounted for 31.8% of total electricity capacity in Lebanon in 2024, unchanged from 2023, and compared to 8.1% in 2015.  It added that renewable energy represented 46.4% of total power capacity worldwide in 2024 relative to 43.1% in 2023 and 29.5% in 2015, while renewable energy accounted for 10.8% total power capacity in the Middle East in 2024 compared to 10.1% in 2023 and 5.4% in 2015.  The IRENA defines renewable energy capacity as the maximum net generating capacity of power plants and other installations that use renewable energy sources to produce electricity.  The survey ranked Lebanon in seventh place among 12 Arab countries in terms of total renewable energy capacity in 2024. In comparison, Lebanon came in sixth place regionally in 2022, while it ranked in third place in the Arab world in 2015. It noted that Lebanon's total installed renewable energy power capacity trailed only the UAE with 6,144 MW, Saudi Arabia with 4,743 MW, Jordan with 2,725 MW, Qatar with 1,699 MW, Iraq with 1,599 MW, and Syria with 1,557 MW among 12 Arab countries. Also, Lebanon's share of renewable energy accounted for 6.1% of total renewable power capacity among Arab economies and for 0.03% of global renewable power capacity in 2024.  Further, the distribution of renewable energy capacity in the country shows that the installed solar power capacity in Lebanon consisted of 1,005 MW or 77.5% of the total renewable energy capacity in Lebanon in 2024, followed by 282 MW from hydropower sources (21.7%), 7 MW from biogas (0.5%), and 3 MW from wind energy (0.2%). In comparison, it noted that the installed capacity in the country consisted of 1,005 MW from solar power, 282 MW from hydropower sources, 7 MW from biogas, and 3 MW from wind energy in 2023; relative to 282 MW from hydropower sources, 11 MW from solar power, 3 MW from wind energy, and 2 MW from biogas in 2015. Also, the renewable energy capacity from solar energy in Lebanon increased by a CAGR of 65% and the capacity from biogas grew by a CAGR of 15% in the 2015-24 period.  In parallel, Lebanon ranked in fifth place in the Arab world in terms of renewable energy capacity from solar energy in 2024. The survey shows that the installed capacity from solar energy in Lebanon trailed the UAE (6,011 MW), Saudi Arabia (4,340 MW), Jordan (2,077 MW), and Qatar (1,680 MW) among 12 Arab countries with available data. As such, Lebanon accounted for 6% of the total power production capacity from solar energy in Arab countries and for 0.05% of worldwide capacity in 2024.  Also, Lebanon came in third place among Arab economies in terms of installed capacity from hydropower sources in 2024. The output capacity from hydropower sources in the country came ahead of Jordan (4 MW), and trailed Iraq (1,797 MW) and Syria (1,490 MW) among four Arab countries with available data. Lebanon accounted for 7.9% of total hydropower production capacity in the Arab world and for 0.02% of global capacity last year.  In addition, Lebanon ranked in third place among Arab economies in terms of installed capacity from biogas in 2024. The installed capacity from biogas in Lebanon was similar to that of Syria, preceded Qatar (4 MW) and trailed Jordan (13 MW) and the UAE (11 MW)  among five Arab countries with available data. Lebanon accounted for 16.7% of total power production capacity from biogas among Arab countries and for 0.03% of global capacity in 2024.  Finally, Lebanon came in sixth place in the Arab world in terms of installed capacity from wind energy sources in 2024.  (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: Byblos Bank, April 28 - May 3, 2025