The Limits of Energy Transition in Arab Countries: An Analytical Study Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to Determine The Optimal Energy Mix

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-743-9_10How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Energy Transition; Renewable Energy; Energy Mix; Arab Countries; AHP; Financial Constraints

Abstract

Amid accelerating global challenges posed by climate change and the urgent need to transition to sustainable energy, Arab countries face a complex set of structural constraints that hinder a successful transition. These constraints span technical, social, environmental, and financial dimensions. The region’s economies remain heavily reliant on fossil fuels as the primary energy source, increasing their vulnerability to global market fluctuations and environmental disruptions. Key challenges include limited access to critical raw materials and minerals required for renewable energy technologies, difficulties with energy storage due to the intermittent nature of renewable sources, and the geographical concentration of these resources in remote areas far from consumption centers.

Moreover, financial constraints pose a significant barrier, as most Arab countries rely on hydrocarbon revenues to fund energy projects, limiting their ability to diversify investment in clean energy. This study seeks to address the following question: how can Arab countries overcome these constraints to achieve an optimal energy mix that balances sustainability with economic efficiency? The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining a qualitative literature review with quantitative analysis using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision-making tool for evaluating alternatives and prioritizing energy strategies. Data are collected through expert surveys, technical reports, and regional case studies.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Othmane Touat
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/11
TI  - The Limits of Energy Transition in Arab Countries: An Analytical Study Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to Determine The Optimal Energy Mix
BT  - Proceedings of API Conference 2025: Empowering the future: Energy Transition and Economic Diversification in Arab Countries
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 181
EP  - 200
SN  - 3005-155X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-743-9_10
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-743-9_10
ID  - Touat2026
ER  -