The sustainable energy market in Lebanon is growing at a fast pace. Both energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and initiatives are taking place in the different sectors of the economy. Solar energy in particular is growing at an impressive rate, creating thus a real and serious need to monitor the quality of products and installers, as well as putting in place the right mechanisms and regulations to keep the market moving in a sustainable way. Here comes the important role that the MED-DESIRE project is playing in the Lebanese market.
Through this impressive network of partnerships from institutions and technical bodies from the two shores of the Mediterranean, the interactions among the nine partners of the MED-DESIRE are allowing a rich and smooth flow of information and practices to develop the solar energy sector in Lebanon. Being the representative of Lebanon in the MED-DESIRE project, the LCEC is keen to benefit from the opportunities that the MED-DESIRE project is offering in terms of developing renewable energy in the country.
The great thing is that all MED-DESIRE actions and initiatives are taking place at the right moment in regards to the timeframe that the Government of Lebanon is following. In fact, the Lebanese Government had previously adopted the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2011-2015 for the country and LCEC is currently preparing both the second NEEAP of Lebanon for the period 2016-2020 as well as the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) 2016-2020. While currently developing these national guiding documents, LCEC is taking all the inputs and outcomes of the MED-DESIRE project and trying to integrate them within the overall path of the NEEAP and NREAP, thus leading to direct and measurable impacts nationwide.
Since 2009, the Lebanese Government has shown its full support to the development of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures in Lebanon. This commitment by the Lebanese Government, and more specifically by the Ministry of Energy and Water, has increased over the years. Today, the Ministry of Energy and Water is more than ever dedicated to the development and application of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures in the country. The involvement of LCEC in the MED-DESIRE project has one major concern which is to be able to transfer the know-how in these sectors from our partner countries and integrate this know-how in Lebanon. LCEC also believes that many success stories from Lebanon could be shared with our partners, specifically the successful implementation of NEEREA, the national financing mechanism developed by the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) and the LCEC, and which has lead since its initiation in 2011 until today to more than 380 Million USD of green loan applications.
While many areas are representing negative challenges for the Mediterranean area, sustainable energy has always been a common concern that requires the efforts and positive input of all parties. Thanks to the European Union, MED-DESIRE has been a successful catalyzer in creating these positive constructive links. Our responsibility is to make these links as sustainable as possible for the brighter future we all look for.
By Pierre El Khoury
LCEC Acting Project Manager