Cover Page

Series Editor

Alain Dollet

Energy Transition in Metropolises, Rural Areas and Deserts

Louis Boisgibault

Fahad Al Kabbani

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Foreword

“Think global, act local” for an ecological transition in the service of man and therefore of the planet, such was the major challenge of the 20th Century which, to paraphrase André Malraux, French novelist and Minister of Cultural Affairs, was “to be of ecology or not to be”.

The global dimension is widely recognized in practice. After the warning issued by the Club of Rome in 1960, the Stockholm Conference in 1972 inaugurated the various earth summits, which have been held every 10 years since then (Nairobi in 1982, Rio in 1992, Johannesburg in 2002, Rio in 2012). Since 1995, the “Conferences of the Parties” have brought together diplomats and experts on climate change every year. Thus, COP21 in Paris in 2015 reached an agreement to fight global warming.

The many international meetings over more than half a century have enabled experts from all over the world to reflect and propose further growth that is more respectful of the environment and the dignity of human beings, but also, through a wealth of literature, for academics from all continents to exchange, discuss and debate on sustainable development.

On the other hand, the local dimension is less studied. More than ideas, it is the actions that must be observed, analyzed and evaluated. From this point of view, the book written by my two former PhD students is very timely. The approach, far from being dogmatic, is first and foremost practical and empirical. This work is the result of many months of investigation by the authors on the different fields they studied. However, the choice of these territories allows them to have a fairly universal view of the issue: developed countries (France), developing countries (Senegal and Morocco), emerging countries (Saudi Arabia), metropolises (Lille and Riyadh) and rural areas (Pays de Fayence), temperate zones and deserts. All the cases encountered at the local level were perceived by the two authors who complement each other admirably in their research. Moreover, the cultural dimension has not been forgotten, even if it is reduced to well-chosen examples.

It is with great satisfaction that I write this foreword, as, having been a thesis supervisor, it is comforting to see that two of my most brilliant students have joined forces to tackle this vast subject essential for the future of the world, the ecological transition. I hope that this book will meet with the success it deserves, because it provides an innovative and precise insight into “local action”, without which the ecological transition cannot be achieved.

Jean GIRARDON

Professor Emeritus

Sorbonne Université

Preface

This book analyzes how the energy transition can be carried out in three types of areas: metropolitan areas, rural areas and deserts. It is based on research carried out in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Lille (France) for metropolitan areas; in the Pays de Fayence (France) and Bokhol (Senegal) for rural areas; in the deserts of the Sahara (Ouarzazate) and Arabia. The challenges of the energy transition are studied taking into account the constraints of each type of space, the projects carried out and technological innovations. How best to combine large connected power plants, production systems for self-consumption, and energy efficiency with energy transmission and distribution networks that must become intelligent? Should spatial planning be organized on the basis of objectives and decisions taken at supranational level (COP21, major directives) or should local initiative be encouraged, depending on the resources instantly available? Lessons are drawn from the fields studied to provide objectives and solutions for Europe, the Middle East and the African region in order to move from carbonaceous energy resources (oil, natural gas and coal) and nuclear to renewable energies without opposing the energy sectors. This book is illustrated with photos and color maps.

The two co-authors, of French and Saudi origin, met in mid-2010 in the Geography and Planning Research Laboratory of the Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV). The Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV) became Sorbonne Université on January 1, 2018 through its merger with the Université Pierre et Marie Curie. This laboratory was known as the Spaces, Nature and Culture (ENEC), Joint Research Unit Sorbonne Université / French centre for scientific research and has itself evolved as part of this merger. The co-authors conducted their doctoral research with the same thesis supervisor, Jean Girardon, Professor Emeritus at Sorbonne Université. Jean Girardon is known for his academic work on spatial planning, for his local action as mayor of the rural community of 333 inhabitants of Mont-Saint-Vincent, in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region and as elected board member to the Association of Mayors of France. The co-authors’ research theses on the energy transition were defended and validated, respectively, in 2016 and 2017. As the research fields are very complementary, it was decided to pool the work here.

This interdisciplinary four-chapter book is therefore not simply a compilation of scientific articles, as is most often the case in the academic world. It aims to have a certain unity of style and form to increase its impact and simply explain, in a pedagogical way, complex transitions. It gathers a wider audience than a thesis jury to address students, elected officials, professionals and an informed general public and involves citizens in debates on the energy transition, in an educational way, in the broadest possible geography.

Louis BOISGIBAULT

Fahad AL KABBANI

October 2019

Acknowledgments

The initial research results and figures have been updated for this book. The dialog was resumed with the key players of the fields studied in Riyadh, Lille, Fayence and Ouarzazate. For Bokhol and the Arabian Desert, as the projects accelerated considerably from 2016 onwards, it was necessary to conduct a press review and contact stakeholders to request additional information and photos. This information was cross-referenced to obtain the most accurate information possible, analyze the issues, make relevant comparisons of local actions and find appropriate solutions. Warm thanks are first addressed to all the key players in these six fields, who were asked right up to the last minute, for the documents they have authorized us to publish here.

The co-authors are now on postdoctoral trips together to get to know the colleague’s fields and to continue to promote their research. All this would not have been possible without the support of the professors of Sorbonne Université and in particular Dr. Jean Girardon, who agreed to write the foreword to the book, teachers from other institutions, university and municipal libraries and families.

Sincere thanks are addressed to all those relatives who cannot be named individually for fear of forgetting them.

List of Acronyms

ADA
Arriyadh Development Authority
AEME
Agence pour l’économie et la maîtrise de l’énergie du Sénégal [National Energy Efficiency Agency of Senegal]
AFD
Agence Française de Développement [French development agency]
AMEE
Agence marocaine pour l’efficacité énergétique [Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency]
ANER
Agence nationale pour les énergies renouvelables du Sénégal [Sengalese National Agency for Renewable Energies]
ARAMCO
Arabian American Oil Company
BOAD
Banque Ouest Africaine de Dévelopment [West African Development Bank]
BTP
Bâtiments et travaux publics [Buildings and public works]
CH4
Methane (four hydrogen atoms and one carbon atom)
CIGS
Copper indium gallium selenium
CNGV
Compressed natural gas vehicle
COP
Conference of the Parties
CO2
Carbon dioxide
ECOWAS
Economic Community of West African States (15 countries)
ECRA
Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority (Saudi Arabia)
EEC
European Economic Community
EMEA
Europe, Middle East, Africa
ENEDIS
Réseau public de distribution d’électricité (France) [Public electricity distribution network (France)]
EPCI
Établissement public de coopération intercommunale (France) [Public institution for intermunicipal cooperation (France)]
EPD
Energy performance diagnostics
FDI
Foreign direct investment
GACA
General Authority of Civil Aviation
GCC
Gulf Cooperation Council
GDP
Gross domestic product
GEF
Global Environment Facility
GHG
Greenhouse gases
GNP
Gross national product
GT
Gigaton
GW
Gigawatt (1,000 MW)
HDI
Human development index
HP
Heat pump
HT/MT
High voltage/medium voltage
IEA
International Energy Agency
INDC
Intended Nationally Determined Contribution
INSEE
Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (France) [French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies]
IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IRENA
International Renewable Energy Agency
KACARE
King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy
kV
Kilovolt
kW
Kilowatt (1,000 watts)
LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LNG
Liquefied natural gas
LPG
Liquefied petroleum gas
MASEN
Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy
MEL
Métropole européenne de Lille [European metropolis of Lille]
MW
Megawatt (1,000 KW)
NBIC
Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information technology, Cognitive science
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
OPEC
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
PACA
Region Sud, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (France)
PETS
Pumped Energy Transfer Stations
PIF
Public Investment Fund (Saudi Arabia)
PLU
Plan local d’urbanisme [Local urban planning]
PLUI
Plan local d’urbanisme intercommunal [Local intermunicipal urban planning]
PPP
Purchasing power parity
PPP
Public–private partnership
PPM
Part per million
PVD
Pays en voie de développement [Developing countries]
REPDO
Renewable Energy Project Development Office (Saudi Arabia)
RNEs
Renewable energies
SAMA
Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency
SAR
Saudi Railway Company
SCOT
Schéma de cohérence territoriale [French Territorial Coherence Scheme]
SEC
Saudi Electricity Company
SMB
Small and medium businesses
SME
Small and medium-sized enterprises
SPA
Saudi Press Agency
SPPA
Saudi Public Pension Agency
SRADDET
Schéma régional d’aménagement, de développement durable et d’égalité des territoires [Regional Plan for Spatial Planning, Sustainable Development and Equality of Territories]
SRO
Saudi Railway Organization
TOE
Ton of oil equivalent
TWh
Terawatt hour
UAE
United Arab Emirates
UEMOA
West African Economic and Monetary Union (eight countries)
WTI
West Texas Intermediate
WTO
World Trade Organization