Is solar energy suitable for Bahrain?

Bahrain has the opportunity to use solar energy, as it receives an estimated solar radiation of 6 kWh/m²/day ( Alnaser et al., 2014 ). The country's global horizontal irradiance is 2160 kWh/m²/year, while direct normal radiation is 2050 kWh/m²/year ( IRENA, 2014 ).

Does solar PV affect public perception in Bahrain?

There have been no studies on public perception of solar PV in Bahrain or in any other GCC country to date. In fact, compared with technical studies, there are only a few peer-reviewed studies on the social aspects of solar PV.

How much solar radiation does Bahrain receive?

Bahrain receives approximately 6 kWh/m² /day of solar radiation ( Alnaser et al., 2014 ). The country's global horizontal irradiance is 2160 kWh/m² /year, while direct normal radiation is 2050 kWh/m² /year ( IRENA,, 2014 ). In 2016, the average daily sunshine hours exceeded 10 hours, further emphasizing the potential for solar energy in Bahrain ( IGA,, 2016 ).

How much energy does Bahrain consume in total?

In the period from 2000 to 2016, Bahrain's energy consumption grew significantly, reaching approximately 6300 kTOE in 2016, compared to 3000 kTOE in 2000 ( IEA, 2018a ). Electricity accounts for 37% of the total final energy consumption, with natural gas being the primary fuel for electricity generation.

Are Bahrainis willing to pay the full cost of solar PV systems?

According to the cross tabulation results, majority of participants who were willing to pay the full cost of residential solar PV systems were Bachelor degree holders with the average per-capita monthly income for Bahrainis.

How much does electricity cost in Bahrain?

It is worth mentioning that the consumer electricity prices in Bahrain are highly subsidised. The actual cost of a kWh is 28 fils ($ 0.074) while the consumer pays 3 fils if their consumption is below 3000 kWh/month, 9 fils if it is below 5000 kWh/month and 16 fils if the consumption is more than 5000 kWh/month .