Investing in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Palestinian Territories: Barriers and Opportunities

Table 4

Summarization of answers of public institutions to questions related to standardization, licensing, and planning for RES and EE.

Is grid connection regulated and facilitated? Is the procedure complicated for small-scale producers?	100% of questioned institutions agree that: (i) There is a regulated grid connection, but further facilitations are required; (ii) The procedure for small-scale producers is not complicated but requires further modifications
How is transmission access regulated and facilitated? Is the procedure complicated for small-scale producers?	(i) The transmission access to RE power stations is regulated and facilitated for small- and large-scale producers; (ii) Some power stations are connected directly to LV power lines or MV power lines through a step-up transformer; (iii) All questioned stakeholders confirm that the administrative framework facilitates small renewable energy producers, but some of them need further documents and clarifications
Is licensing simple and speedy, e.g., through one-stop shops?	(i) 100% of the questioned stakeholders agree that the licensing procedure is simple and speedy
Are building codes in place to promote renewables, e.g., solar panels on rooftops?	(i) Building code in PT is being designed, but it is still in a draft phase; (ii) Green building code is included in the draft, but it is not compulsory
Are renewable energy equipment characteristics sufficiently standardized?	(i) The RES equipment characteristics are sufficiently standardized especially for PV systems and their accessories; (ii) PENRA and Palestinian Standards Institution prepared technical specifications for PV modules, inverters, controllers, batteries, cables, etc.; (iii) The SWH equipment is standardized, but most of the equipment that reaches the Palestinian market through the Israeli market second-hand does not necessarily comply with Palestinian standards; (iv) Some SWHs are locally manufactured, but no testing facilities exist yet to check the compliance with the Palestinian standards