From the geopolitics of oil to the geopolitics of electricity

For decades, Oil and Gas have been the primary instruments of power in the Middle East. Regional states have exercised political and economic influence largely through fossil fuel exports and control over strategic energy routes. However, technological transformation, the expansion of renewable energy and changes in the global economic structure indicate that the Middle East is gradually entering a new phase of geopolitical competition — one in which electricity and power transmission infrastructure may become among the region’s most important tools of influence.

Today, many Middle Eastern countries are rapidly investing in solar energy, wind power and smart electricity infrastructure. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and several North African states are attempting to prepare themselves for a post-oil era. Yet the geopolitical implications of this transition remain underexplored.

In the future, countries capable of producing, storing and exporting electricity will not only gain economic advantages but also emerge as influential actors in regional political dynamics.

In the future, countries capable of producing, storing and exporting electricity will not only gain economic advantages but also emerge as influential actors in regional political dynamics.

Interconnected power grids and the architecture of regional power

In this context, cross-border electricity interconnections are acquiring strategic importance. Projects linking the Gulf Cooperation Council........

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