Data Visualization

Blog of the Data Visualization & Communication Course at OSB-AUB

This is my favorite part about analytics: Taking boring flat data and bringing it to life through visualization” John Tukey

Electricity Access In the Arab World countries and Potential improvements

Electricity Access In the Arab World countries and Potential improvements

In a world where access to electricity is no longer considered a privilege but a basic human right, many Arab counties are still struggling in providing electricity access to their people. Even though the Arab world is often associated with energy wealth in terms of oil gas production, not all the population has access to electricity. Many Arab Countries such as Comoros, Yemen, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, & South Sudan, are still lagging behind in terms of the population access to electricity.

However, it is important to distinguish between access to electricity and its availability. For example, in counties such as Lebanon, Syria, and West Ghaza, most of the population has access to the electricity grid, but it is not always available. Private generators are considered as an alternative solution to provide power, as rolling blackouts are common.

Global institutions including the World Bank and International Energy Agency are all working towards global solutions to help less developed countries in their struggles towards proving electricity to their people. By 2030, the United Nations sets a goal to measure progress against its Sustainable Development Goal #7—“affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”.

Contribution of Different Non-EDL Sources to Power Generation in Lebanon between 2010 and 2013

Contribution of Different Non-EDL Sources to Power Generation in Lebanon between 2010 and 2013

With growing power demand, Lebanese authorities decided to deploy powerships (Karpowership) in June 2012. These powerships remain a subject of debate among Lebanese officials to date. The visual portrays the effect of the introduction of the powerships on the distribution of contribution of different Non-EDL power sources to the Lebanese electricity network.

A significant drop in the contribution of foreign supply (Syria and Egypt) as well as the contribution of Hydraulic power generation was witnessed in 2013, in comparison to the significant emergence of powerships as main contributors (40% of Non-EDL power generation). Powerships continue to raise eyebrows regarding their cost efficiency and environmental friendliness in comparison to the other power sources.