The prime criteria for private sector participation in renewable energy investment in the Middle East (case study: Iran)

To have sustainable electricity generation from renewable energy resources economically competitive, more privatization is needed in this sector. True understanding based on transparent information is one of the salient necessities for the private sector to invest in the energy business. In this article, the researchers are to recognize the targeted factors considered by the private sector in order to improve their participation in the electricity generation markets from renewable source; in the Middle East. The results illustrate that the most important factors are governmental policies, consumption markets, and engineering efficiency. These recognized factors then are classified from different aspects, such as techno-engineering, business and relevant policies, and the environment. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.