Strategic Planning for Renewable Energy in Developing Countries: Palestine as a Case Study

The energy sector in developing countries plays a key role in their socio-economic development. The sector is facing many challenges, including the escalating demand on energy, the high cost of fuel, importing energy or fuel from external markets, and the unreliable energy supplies. Moving towards renewable energy is also meeting difficulties, especially in terms of delivering the energy needed with reasonable costs. Strategic planning approach is utilized to guide moving towards renewable energy in the developing countries. The aim of this research is to explore the proper measures to deal with the identified key factors that affect progress towards renewable energy, and formulate a strategic framework to support shifting towards renewable energy in the developing countries. Palestine is taken as the case study that could be considered as an example of a lower-middle income developing country. Proper analysis is conducted for the energy sector in Palestine considering the SWOT approach, considering the internal status and the external environment. Based on such analysis, the proposed framework for strategic planning for renewable energy is formulated. The framework has identified the goals and objectives, as well as the strategies and actions. The output of this study would lay the foundation to debate and adopt the framework in partnership with other stakeholders. Key strategies are defined including those in the economic, technical, organizational, regulatory, and behavioural areas.