Energy consumption in Kuwait: Prospects and future approaches

In Kuwait, the consumption of oil, the country's main source of energy, is increasing year by year. In addition to the harsh climate and the rapid economic and construction growth in the country, there are further aspects of energy inefficiency. While 10% of the produced energy was being consumed locally in 1980, this percentage increased to 20% in 2005 and is expected to reach 40% by 2015. If this situation continues, the country will be forced to increase production or reduce exportation. Both options will cause serious problems to the country in meeting future energy demands due to its dependence on oil as a source of income, shortages of other energy resources, and the environmental care of the country. In this work, we assess the energy situation in Kuwait and its historical, current, and future conditions with a focus on the power plant sector, as it is the major consumer of energy in the country. Finally, an attempt is made to briefly describe the most realistic and efficient electricity production solutions available and to discuss other alternative resources such as nuclear, solar, and wind energy. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.