A review of progress in renewable energy implementation in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

•Benefits of investing renewable energy projects in GCC countries were investigated.•Publications on renewable energy in reference to GCC countries since 2005 were summerized.•The GCC countries enjoy clear advantage for the development of solar and wind energy.•Across GCC countries legislation to promote renewable energy is missing.•The reorientation toward renewable energy in GCC countries is in evolution.

In an effort to diversify economies and reduce high oil dependency, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries plan to increase the use of renewable energy sources to meet the challenges of a post-oil future. The Accession to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, which require a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has started a process of environmental awakening in the GCC countries. This paper reviews the publications on renewable energy with reference to the GCC countries since 2005. The objective was to investigate the benefits of funding and investing in renewable energy projects in the GCC countries. The article shows that the GCC countries have begun to adopt a more pro-active approach toward renewable energy that will help progress the GCC countries towards sustainability. The reorientation of strategies and policies toward renewable energy is evolving in the GCC countries.