Developments in law and policy: The promotion of green energy in the electricity sector of Palestine

摘要

This paper analyses the regulatory framework for renewable electricity in Palestine. The State of Palestine has inherited accumulative problems in its electricity sector, as in many other sectors, mainly due to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories since June 1967. These territories include the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. The Occupied Palestinian Territories were declared by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2012 to hold non-member state status, and have since been known as the ‘State of Palestine’. Multifaceted limitations and restrictions resulting from the occupation have impeded development in the electricity sector as a pivotal public service. However, the Palestinian Government has recently attempted to take control over electricity and to restructure the sector using legal instruments. The government has adopted regulations and embraced a target to promote the use of renewable energy sources for the generation of electricity. This paper argues that despite the Palestinian Government’s attempt to achieve the renewable target, the law needs to be revised thoroughly to ensure increased promotion of alternative energy generation sources.