Soil pollution levels in parts of Basra are 1,200% to 3,300% higher than those typically measured in cities like Toronto or New York, according to new comparative soil data. It’s getting into water.

When ExxonMobil quietly returned to Iraq’s oil fields, signing new agreements tied to the Majnoon field and surrounding infrastructure in late 2025, it was framed as a story of stability. Security concerns once deemed too great were now manageable. Production would rise, pipelines would be upgraded, and jobs would follow.

While the US company promotes its renewed developments in Iraq to extract oil from a field known as “Majnoon”—Arabic for “crazy”—located roughly 50 miles from Basra, a city of five million people, no press release mentions what oil looks like when it enters a glass of water.

Within a five-mile radius of Basra city, oil operations are dominated by the Iraqi state-owned Basra Oil Company and international partners BP–PetroChina at Rumaila and Eni at Zubair. ExxonMobil’s former operations were located farther north and do not sit directly adjacent to the city itself.

“There is oil in the water, and it’s in the soil. Half of my mother’s brothers—six of them—have cancer, the youngest being 40, with leukemia. This has become normal now. We know that the oil fields just outside Basra are polluting our water and soil, but what can we do?” asks Sara (name changed), a young environmentalist I met in Istanbul.

She asked to remain anonymous, saying it would be dangerous to speak publicly. Pointing to a map, she showed where some of the world’s largest oil companies—such as BP and Eni—are drilling close to city limits in Basra, indicating areas where cancer rates are highest. She said no local researchers will touch the subject that children in these areas are dying from leukemia. She knows some of them.

“I sent my sisters to study in Istanbul so they can be far away from this pollution,” she told me, pointing to her sisters we are sitting with at the shisha cafe.

“We know that there are high levels of levels of cancer in Basra and it’s known that oil is in the tap water. Of course I don’t clean my dishes with the water but we do use it for clothes and showering. Farmers use the water even though it’s not safe. Don’t clean dishes. Children living next to the oilfield in the area of Rumalia, with estimates of cancer being 20% higher than the rest of the country. Some kids are living within a mile of the oil drills which is not normal.”

Rumaila is known locally as the “cemetery” for the high rates of cancer and disease among the population, left in the dark without resources despite supporting the lucrative oil fields nearby.

“Children living next to the Rumaila oil field get cancer,” says Sara. “There are babies being born with cancer. My friend works at the government owned chemical company that processes oil. Her 5 year-old sister died of cancer. She was playing outside and fell on her eyes when they found the tumor. She died a year later.”

How do people in Basra cope? It is a mix of avoiding drinking the water and giving up. The water is still used to wash clothes, clean dishes, shower, and water gardens.

Cancer is no longer whispered, it is assumed.

The BBC has reported extensively on soaring cancer rates in southern Iraq, particularly in Basra, where decades of oil extraction, gas flaring, industrial runoff, and war debris have combined into what doctors describe as an environmental health emergency. While doctors point to gas flaring, our source says oil contamination in water and soil may now be the greater concern. Flaring can be reduced around city centers (although data shows that is it only growing in Iraq), but oil that has entered soil and groundwater remains.

The BBC reported: “For health reasons Iraqi law prohibits flaring within six miles (10km) of people’s homes, but we found towns where gas was being burned less than 250m from people’s front doors. A leaked Iraq Health Ministry report, seen by BBC Arabic, blames air pollution for a 20% rise in cancer in Basra between 2015 and 2018.”

Sara says flaring and pollution continue despite the laws, while government agencies and universities turn a blind eye to the health impacts. She also says oil company employees sent to Basra are exposed to dangerous conditions, often late in their careers, and later receive large pensions due to prolonged environmental exposure.

Doctors interviewed by the BBC describe pediatric cancer wards overwhelmed. Leukemia, breast cancer, and rare tumors appear at rates far beyond global averages.

A 2025 study examining soil around Basra found pollution levels 1,200% to 3,300% higher than those typically measured in cities like Toronto or New York.

Average TPH levels ranged from 8 µg/g (dry weight) in agricultural areas to 265 µg/g along roads. During the wet season, levels reached as high as 340 µg/g, as rain drives oil residues deeper into the soil rather than removing them.

The study concluded that oil refineries are the main source of soil contamination, with additional pollution from vehicles, fuel stations, power generation, and oil infrastructure.

For context, Canadian soil safety standards, used in cities like Toronto, set acceptable levels far below the hundreds of µg/g measured in Basra.

Another 2024 study found elevated TPH levels across Basra’s major oilfields, including Majnoon, Rumaila, West Qurna, and Al-Zubair, exceeding thresholds associated with human health risk

Iraq’s oil sector includes BP, Shell (formerly Basra Gas Company), TotalEnergies, ENI, Lukoil, CNPC, and PetroChina, many operating through state partnerships. Gas flaring remains widespread.

According to the World Bank, Iraq ranks among the world’s top gas-flaring countries. These emissions settle into lungs, groundwater, and the bodies of children.

“It’s not safe to grow up there anymore,” says Sara.

Government employees in Iraq are currently banned from speaking publicly about pollution from oil fields.

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The future is knocking, and it demands solutions. Net-zero isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a survival strategy. But the road to a carbon-free world is filled with potholes. Traditional carbon capture technologies? Too expensive. Too bulky. Too difficult to scale. And the worst part? Many rely on chemical solvents that degrade over time, creating hazardous waste. Enter RepAir Carbon, an Israeli startup rewriting the rules of carbon capture with an elegant, scalable, and affordable solution.

Founded in 2020, RepAir Carbon is the brainchild of some serious innovators. Chairman Yehuda Borenstein, a serial entrepreneur, has a track record of building disruptive tech startups, including LIGC, MataGene, Carbonade, and NitroFix. CEO Amir Shiner steers the ship with a keen focus on commercialization. CTO Dr. Ben Achrai leads the R&D, while Professor Yushan Yan brings the academic firepower—his patented innovations from the University of Delaware form the backbone of RepAir’s tech. Their mission? To make carbon capture efficient, affordable, and sustainable at the gigaton scale.

Forget the old-school, energy-hungry carbon capture plants. It’s the same idea as the machines that suck water from air. They require an enormous amount of energy for what they do making the endeavor almost pointless. RepAir’s electrochemical carbon capture system is a game-changer. Unlike conventional methods, it ditches solvents altogether, slashing operating and capital costs while eliminating waste. The process is fully electric—no heat required—meaning it can run on renewable energy with minimal environmental impact.

The numbers are staggering: RepAir’s solution uses 70% less energy than traditional carbon capture (0.6MWh/tCO2). It operates with a carbon footprint of less than 5%, making it one of the cleanest capture methods available. And, crucially, it’s scalable—a modular design allows for mass production and seamless integration into existing industrial sites.

Power Moves: Shell, Mitsubishi, and More

RepAir isn’t just talking the talk—it’s signing major deals. The company recently inked an agreement with Shell US Gas and Power and Mitsubishi Corporation to develop a large-scale carbon removal project in Louisiana. Meanwhile, in Europe, RepAir Carbon US Inc. has joined forces with C-Questra to launch the EU’s first onshore carbon removal project in Grandpuits, France. This initiative is about more than carbon capture—it’s about local job creation and sustainable infrastructure development.

But that’s not all. RepAir is tackling diluted point source emissions (1%-5% CO2 concentration)—a segment that could bring in multi-million-dollar contracts. Most carbon capture tech struggles with low-concentration CO2 streams, but RepAir’s system is tailor-made for this challenge, opening up a massive new market.

Funding and Expansion

Tech like this doesn’t come cheap, but investors are paying attention. In December 2022, RepAir closed a $10 million Series A funding round, led by Extantia Capital and joined by Equinor Ventures, Shell Ventures, and Zero Carbon Capital. Before that, a $1.5 million seed round in 2021 got the ball rolling. The capital is fueling expansion, R&D, and global partnerships.

With headquarters in Yokneam Illit, Israel, and operations extending to the U.S. (Florida) and Europe, RepAir is positioning itself as a global leader in carbon capture. The vision? A world where CO2 is pulled from the air efficiently, affordably, and at a scale that makes a real impact.

The carbon capture space is heating up. Companies like Carbon Clean, Captura, Charm Industrial, and Agreena are all vying for dominance, each bringing unique solutions to the table. But while others focus on costly infrastructure or niche applications, RepAir’s lean, scalable, and cost-effective model puts it in a league of its own.

Achieving a net-zero future is impossible without carbon capture. But until now, the solutions have been too expensive, too complicated, or too slow to scale. RepAir Carbon is proving that there’s a better way—one that’s ready for the real world. The question isn’t if this technology will transform the industry. It’s when.

::RepAir

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Saudi Arabia is pumping up its propaganda machine during COP26 to deflect the true nature of its intentions, announces Greenpeace. Saudi Arabia recently announced it will be net zero by 2060, a long way off, and with no exit plan to wean the world from oil (remember its oil shale announcement?). Meanwhile Saudi Arabia has plans to increase its oil production from 12 million barrels per day to 13 million barrels per day by 2027. 

How can anyone take Saudi Arabia seriously? They are developing 90 untouched islands on the Red Sea, one with Foster + Partners, are creating the world’s most nuts environmental nightmare “green” city called Neom, where they have evicted locals and even killed a Bedouin activist. It’s like a villain making promises while crossing his fingers behind his back. 

Ahmad El Droubi from Greenpeace, who obviously sees the ongoing contractions Saudi Arabia spouts out into the world: “We question the seriousness of this announcement, as it comes in parallel with plans for the Kingdom to increase its oil production … and seems to simply be a strategic move to alleviate political pressure ahead of COP26.”

But the words are likely just a smokescreen, as Saudis plan on carbon capture and storage technologies (CCS), which have not been proven to scale and which may require more energy than the emissions they sequester. The use of CCS as a golden bullet idea summons the idea that Saudi Arabia can “buy” its way out of unrestrained use of fossil fuels. The usual old world approach.

“The stipulations of the announcement are of great concern as they focus on an array of false solutions, such as CCS whose viability at scale remains largely unproven and its potential to deliver significant emission reductions by the mid-century is currently limited,” says El Droubi.

“Safe, permanent, and verifiable storage of CO2 is difficult to guarantee and there are many hidden climate impacts of such technologies.

“The proposition of increased dependence on natural gas and development of a hydrogen economy, based primarily on it, are also of great concern; blue hydrogen relies on CCS and also maintains the status quo of dependency on fossil fuels, according to a recent study the total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions are only 9%-12% less than for grey hydrogen.”

Greenpeace, a leader in environmental education and action warns that climate change is a global threat that requires a global reduction of carbon emissions and that fossil fuel exporting countries have a responsibility beyond their national borders.

“We urge Saudi Arabia to stop expanding their investment in oil and gas at home and abroad,” El Droubi says. “The region has an abundance of renewable energy potential. There are faster, cleaner, safer, more efficient, and cheaper means that exist to reduce CO2 emissions.”

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Together with the National Oil and Gas Authority, the Electricity and Water Authority, and the University of Bahrain, Bapco wants to improve the generation of clean energy using the sun – the major renewable energy resource in the Middle East.

Economists and energy experts say the project will contribute to the growth of renewable energy industries, create jobs in a new and promising field, and reduce dependence on natural gas as a major source for power generation.

The $25 million project installed solar energy units in three locations: in Awali, with a 1.6 megawatt capacity; the oil refinery plant, with a 3 megawatt capacity; and at the University of Bahrain, with a 0.5 megawatt capacity, announced Bapco’s general manager of engineering projects Abdul Jabbar Abdulkarim.

“The project succeeded in generating electricity through solar energy and smart grid applications that optimise the reliability and safety of the electricity distribution network,” said Abdulkarim.

“The University of Bahrain played a pivotal role in the success of this project by placing 2,000 solar panels at various university facilities, with each panel generating 200 watts of electricity, for a total of 400 kilowatts,” said University of Bahrain vice president for planning and development Waheeb al-Nasser.

The university’s large expanse of land – nearly 10,000 square metres – is ideal for launching other renewable energy projects, he added, such as harnessing wind energy by installing wind turbines on the university campus.

Solar and wind energy are readily available in the kingdom of Bahrain especially in June and July. If you are in the Middle East now you will understand the power of the sun.

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“Despite significant efforts over that time frame, revenues are still insufficient to cover operating costs, and in the light of the continued negative cash flow position, the Board has decided that it has no option but to seek to make this application to the courts for an orderly liquidation of the company,” the company announced on Sunday, a work day in Israel.

“This is a difficult day for all of us,” Better Place CEO Dan Cohen said. The company had a vision and made some inroads in helped an electric car reality come to life, but the vision didn’t weigh in with the reality check: consumers in Israel were not buying the Renault-made cars that come with a switchable battery to reduce driver’s range anxiety.

Israel Corporation (TASE: ILCO), the controlling shareholder in the Better Place electric car venture company, notified the TASE, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange today that it will not invest in future financing rounds because it could find no other investors to participate in the round of funding.

Some $800 million has been put into the company since its founding, and over the last past year the company was showing troubling signs the moment its visionary founder and CEO Shai Agassi was fired – news which we reported here.

“Unfortunately, after a year’s commercial operation, it was clear to us that despite many satisfied customers, the wider public take up would not be sufficient and that the support from the car producers was not forthcoming,” Cohen said.

The idea would have been great if it had worked: Better Place had built an extensive network of battery-replacement stations around the country. When a charge was low, instead of waiting for hours to “refuel” with a power cord, the electric car could gas up with a new battery, swapped at convenient locations throughout the country, and that which could be located with a smart driver’s onboard GPS system. This could be done in the time it takes a car to fill up with regular fuel.

The company hoped it would rival gas powered cars, and to some extent we hoped the idea would work to.

Based on what I saw in Israel Better Place was flawed from the beginning: it smacked of cronyism, by hiring relatives into high positions in the company, and by enticing investments in companies closely linked with infrastructure and government bodies in Israel.

Government officials in Israel, President Shimon Peres included, often lauded and praised the company as though the government and Better Place were one and the same.

The company spent way too much overhead on fancy PR and public education hoping to entice a strong following of buying “sheep” who were more interested in promoting Zionist values than environmental ones.

Israel, I have always said, needs a kick-ass network of public transportation, linking trains to light rails to mini-vans to bicycle hubs so that the public can wean itself not off oil, but of cars in general. An investor in a new green public transportation solution, not run by the government, would get my vote.

“The technical challenges we overcame successfully, but the other obstacles we were not able to overcome, despite the massive effort and resources that were deployed to that end,” the Board of Directors said in a statement. “The vision is still valid and important and we remain hopeful that eventually the vision will be realized for the benefit of a better world. However, Better Place will not be able to take part in the realization of this vision.”

I truly wonder what will happen to the poor recruits who bought a Better Place car. Will they be allowed to turn on their at home charge stations and pay the lower rates of electricity not running through the Better Place pricing system? Will they be able to endure long trips to the north and still use a switch station in some locations?

Instead of complaining or showing any signs of fear, buyers of the Better Place car seemed to carry on as usual last week – like Brian of London, who poured his heart and soul into praising his electric car on the Green Car Reports blog. Those who bought into the brand seemed to be loyal all the way. The problem was that there was never enough buyers.

The company would need four years and another half billion dollars to break even, some analysts say.

We’ll be letting readers know what happen to the buyers of the cars, in the hundreds, as the news unfolds. Meanwhile hundreds of employees will be laid off.

Above image of Better Place car parked at the Volcani Center in Israel last week, taken by Karin Kloosterman/Green Prophet

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‘The Middle East must stay stable or else the world will face impending economic and ecological doom’ – debunking the myth

My day job requires I read a lot on the Middle East and the environment – from the perspective of economists, environmentalists, political leaders, civil society and also a lot of commentary coming the rest of the world on the Middle East. One strand of thought that has really got me riled up recently is the notion that the Middle East by dreaming of democracy is causing instability which will not only threaten the economy but also the environment. A little dramatic right? Since when was the fate of the entire world in the hands of the Middle East? It short, it’s not. In fact, it’s completely in the hands of everyone else and the real threat is the economic model we live by which equate success with constant growth.

Writing in Alternet, Marshall Auerback states that the heated conflict after the Arab Spring will likely give way to high gas prices and more pollution. “The situation has the feel of Iran, circa-1979. We don’t have a crystal ball, but oil supply is always a concern when conflict arises in oil-rich countires(sic), which may well trigger high gas prices and increased environmental dangers,” he adds. The instability in the Middle East, he reasons, will change the political calculus in favour of more production domestically in countries such as Canada and the US.

Right. So, why is that the Middle East’s fault? The countries who are choosing to dig for dirty fuels instead of investing in renewable projects are the ones making the big mistakes. If the Middle East can’t or won’t provide them with their fossil fuels and they choose to look for more fossil fuels that’s their bad decisions and can’t be blamed on anyone by the countries themselves. Secondly, I completely disagree with his statement that the alternative would be to rely on “unreliable OPEC-based supplied in countries full of Islamic extremists.” Nothing like a bit of casual prejudice and discrimination I guess.

What I really dislike about this stream of thought is that it places blames squarely on the Middle East rather that stating that 1) all countries are locked into growth obsessed economies 2) all countries have choices and if they make the wrong ones then they alone are accountable and 3) the Middle East doesn’t owe ANYONE stability. If the people want change and take to the streets to protest and get rid of their dictators then we should be supporting them. Not saying, “oh actually, we’d prefer it if you didn’t do that – think of the economy!” For years, the West supported its chosen strongmen dictators to keep its oil supply flowing and everyone understood that. But pretending that the Middle East has the power to save or destroy the environment – and bringing in that moral argument – is just simply preposterous.

: Image via ЯAFIK ♋ BERLIN/flickr.

For more on the Arab Spring and the economy see:

Was The Arab Spring Good for Renewable Energy?

#Occupy Climate Change: The Arab Spring and Occupy Wall St

Arab Spring May Boost Chance for Desertec Solar Power

The post The Middle East and the Unending Quest for Stability (Op-Ed) appeared first on Green Prophet.

According to a 150-page report by Citigroup, Saudi Arabian oil could dry up as early as 2030 which is a lot sooner than previously thought

The high consumption of oil in the Gulf nations for air-conditioning and desalination means that oil wells are likely to run dry a lot sooner than expected. That’s the news coming from a report by Citigroup which states that Saudi Arabia could be an oil importer by 2030. Local Saudi consumption is skyrocketing with residential use making up 50 percent of demand and over two thirds of that goes to air-conditioning. Saudis are also consuming 250 litres of water per person per day – that makes them (rather shockingly) the world’s third largest water consumer – and most of that water is from energy intensive desalination plants.

Lavish fuel subsidies in the Gulf nation is also make matters worse as they discourage conservation or efficiency by keeping the prices artificially low at all times. Heidy Rehman from Citi summarises: “Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil producer (11.1mbpd) & exporter (7.7mbpd). It also consumes 25% of its production. Energy consumption per capita exceeds that of most industrial nations. Oil & its derivatives account for ~50% of Saudi’s electricity production, used mostly (>50%) for residential use. Peak power demand is growing by ~8%/yr. Our analysis shows that if nothing changes Saudi may have no available oil for export by 2030.”

According to the Daily Telegraph, the report should make for sober reading for those who think that shale oil and gas have solved our global energy crunch. As it stands, Saudi consumes all of its gas production domestically and the report adds that “Saudi Arabia will need to find new sources to meet residential and industrial demand.” Saudi Arabia is currently planning a 80GW nuclear plant and details have also emerged of its $109 billion solar plan. The first signs of what an energy shortfall could lead to came this Ramadan when there were protests following power outages in Jeddah.

: Image of old oil drill head via David C Foster/Flickr.

:: Daily Telegraph

For more on Saudi and oil see:

Are Renewables Just Freeing Up Oil For Export?

Saudi Peak Oil Could Affect World in 2012

Subsidies Jeopardise Renewable Energy Projects In The Middle East

The post Saudi Oil Wells May Run Dry By 2030 appeared first on Green Prophet.

Last week two environmental representatives were added to Israel’s Petroleum Council, according to the Jerusalem Post. The council has been restructured to include a total of 13 members, including seven members of the public. As Israel’s ongoing court dispute between government officials and national gas distributors proves, the industry has a local history of disregarding public interest for financial gain – look to our past story on polluting gas stations. Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan praised the recent decision, saying: “Finally environmental considerations will be incorporated into the distribution of drilling licenses and tenders for the exploration and production of petroleum.”

When massive deposits of natural gas, 6.5 times the size of Tel Aviv, were discovered in Israel’s territorial waters it changed Israel’s future.

The tiny nation must unravel the challenge of mining newfound natural resources without causing environmental degradation that would negatively impact its populace. We think adding environmental and public representatives are a small step in the right direction.

:: Jerusalem Post

Image via Wikimedia Commons

The post Israel’s Petroleum Council Adds Environment Reps appeared first on Green Prophet.

Does an expanding renewables market in the Middle East (such as that showcased in Masdar) just mean more oil can be exported and more profit made at the expense of the world climate?

Here are GreenProphet, we have been carefully following the Middle East’s slow but steady uptake of renewables technologies. Every solar project or wind farm in the region is a small step in the right direction- away from oil and fossil fuels and towards green energy. However, some commentators state that renewables should be used to support local energy needs so that more (profit-making) oil can be exported to other countries instead.

Sally Bakewell writing for Bloomberg explains that “oil-rich Gulf nations are seeking to diversify away from fossil fuel production and toward green-energy projects as they look to longer-term sustainable development of their economies. Higher international crude prices also encourage the countries to sell more of their oil abroad. Prices have risen 10 percent in 2012, after more than doubling in the previous three years.”

Building a renewables industry allows more crude to be exported, Indraj Mangat, a partner at Eversheds LLP told Bloomberg. “There’s a realization that rather than burning it cheaper and at subsidized rates in their own region, they should probably sell” more of it abroad, he said.

The idea, I have to admit, is quite worrying. The Middle East is in a unique situation in that it has a ready supply of oil (for now) and also solar and wind energy potential. Diversifying is clearly a good idea to help ensure that future generations are not left in the lurch in terms of energy. However, the notion that they should just embrace renewables to make more money by exporting more oil rather than allowing locals to use it at a subsidized rate is troubling. It’s the ultimate Jevons Paradox.

Jevons’ Paradox is when energy efficiency measures actually lead to higher consumption of energy. The best example is that of someone who saves money through changing their light bulbs and switching to renewables but then uses that money to take a cheap flight for an impromptu holiday.

So rather than reducing their dependencies (as well as the world’s) on oil, it seems that the region is only going to stop exporting when it all runs out. And by then it may already be too late.

:: Bloomberg News

Image via GreenProphet/flickr.

For more on green energy in the Middle East see:
A Real Live Solar City Shines in Israel
Post-Revolution Egypt Wants New Wind Farms
You can also follow Susan Kraemer who is our green energy expert

The post Are Renewables Just Freeing Up Oil For Export? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Investment in renewables grew 104 percent in 2010 in the Middle East and North Africa region- is this a step towards a renewables revolution?

According to data from the United Nations Environment Programme, new investment in renewables in the Middle East and Africa region grew 104 percent in 2010 to $5billion. From inspiring solar projects in Israel, Egypt and Algeria to impressive wind farms in Morocco, it seems that the region is beginning to recognise its abundant renewables energy potential. But can renewables really break into the Gulf market and challenge the dominance of hydrocarbon-based energy?

The Gulf region is rich in oil and was always going to be a difficult market for renewables to crack. Nevertheless, rising fears that the oil will run out and concerns over growing energy demands has led to some progress. Dubai recently announced that it will invest $3billion in a 1,000 MW solar farm to be completed in 2030. The fact that oil is expected to run out in Dubai in 2020, however, illustrates the point that renewables are not seen as an alternative source of energy but a means of supplementing it.

The main reason for the diversification of energy (with renewables) in the region is the increased demand for power generation and falling subsidies. Concerns over the need to cut emissions, cut energy use and embrace renewables as they are eco-friendly is a secondary motivation at best. It is not that the region hasn’t got great potential when it comes to renewable energy. Saudi Arabia’s Rub’ Al Khali region alone is estimated to receive enough sunlight to power two earths!

Analysts have also estimated that the price of solar and wind systems in the Middle East has halved- all whilst the cost of fossil fuelled power has kept on climbing. As one commentator at Recharge News puts it, “the political and economic logic in favour of renewables (in the Middle East) has never been stronger.” All it needs it a little more support and subsidies to get the industry on its feet.

Over the last couple of years, Gulf nations have managed to maintain their fuel subsidies despite falling oil prices. Rather than encouraging better use of the resources, these subsidies have however encouraged inefficiency and high-energy intensive energy production. Research has shown that these subsidies also negatively impact the commercial viability of renewable energy projects. I think it’s time that these subsidies for the oil industry went towards something more sustainable and energy efficient.

Renewable energy may be slowly taking off in the Middle East but they are still nowhere near being seen as the viable alternative to hydrocarbon. And coming back to the question of whether the Middle East has turned a green energy leaf, the answer is – at this moment– no.

: Image via romana klee/flickr.

: Gulf Times and Recharge News.

For more on renewables in the Middle East see:

6 Inspiring Solar-Powered Projects in the Middle East and North Africa

Dubai to Invest $3 Billion in 1,000 MW Solar Farm… But Slowly

Subsidies Jeopardise Renewable Energy Projects In Middle East

The post Has The Middle East Turned A New (Green) Leaf? appeared first on Green Prophet.