Qatar has drawn up an ambitious plan to install 1.8 GW of solar capacity by 2020. What measures are being taken to meet this target?

Qatar's announced plans to build up to 1.8 GW of solar power by 2020 are moving forward. They are part of a new thinking, not just in Qatar but throughout the entire region and across the globe, to seek alternative environment-friendly renewable energy sources.

There are a number of institutions working on this front, exploring various avenues in that direction. Let me mention, as an example, the leading work being carried out by the Qatar National Food Security Programme (QNFSP), which places strong emphasis on solar power as part of its master plan to devise a holistic solution to food security.

The QNFSP's efforts to utilise renewable energy is motivated by the objectives of Qatar's National Vision 2030, which aims to reduce our economic dependency on hydrocarbon resources, in addition to developing environmental sustainability as we create a knowledge-based economy. It places emphasis on harnessing the abundance of solar energy in our country as a potential renewable energy source to operate desalination plants. This will not just help boost desalination capacity, but will also help increase the capacity for farming.

Recognising the need to produce about 40% of Qatar's food locally in an efficient and sustainable fashion, the QNFSP addresses several critical challenges which relate largely to the scarcity of irrigation water and the need for cooling. It estimates that through improved efficiency, the agricultural sector in Qatar will require between 750 and 800 MW of energy from renewable sources to deliver irrigation water and other production requirements such as cooling.

High-efficiency cooling boosts fresh food production in Qatar by allowing farmers to produce a much wider range of fruits and vegetables year-round (i.e. stretching the growing season by more than three months). 

Cooled facilities also reduce demand for water by nearly nine times; this further reduces the amount of energy required to produce food for the nation, as less desalination is required. It also increases the volume of food produced per plant due to reduced heat stress, and dramatically reduces spoilage/waste.

You have said that Qatar will launch pilot projects in the solar sector as part of a 200-MW solar programme. What  progress has been made in this direction?

Kahramaa, while providing water and electricity for the country, is also a leading initiator of solar energy projects.

During the "COP18" UN Climate Change Conference in Doha in December 2012, Kahramaa announced a creative initiative to produce 200 MW from solar energy sources by the end of 2020.

Kahramaa has been utilising unused spaces on its own premises as home to the pilot project. This is important for reducing the cost of the project by eliminating the cost of land. It illustrates how solar energy technologies that require vast areas could be implemented in a country with limited geographical area like Qatar.

Pilot projects like the ones adopted by Kahramaa will also enable Qatar to determine the most suitable technologies with the highest levels of efficiency.

A consultancy tender was floated for the strategies implementation, technical ranking and project locations, and an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction)tender is expected to be awarded by end of the first quarter of 2014.

What is the present installed capacity and what will be the demand for power by 2020?

Qatar's current installed capacity is 8,760 megawatts (MW). Peak demand reached 6,000 MW in 2013.

Kahramaa expects electricity demand to reach 8,700 MW by the year 2020. This rise is driven by population and industrial growth as Qatar's economy continues its dynamic expansion.

To help meet the rising electricity demand, Kahramaa has targeted a 20% reduction in electricity usage by 2018 through rationalisation and public awareness programmes. Kahramaa's "Tarsheed" campaign is credited with reducing electricity per capita consumption by 10.5% in the first half of 2013, compared with the same period in 2012. With more emphasis on environment-friendly policies and practices, there are increasing efforts to ensure that project delivery conforms to the highest energy and water efficiency standards. We also have better-insulated buildings and an increasing use of energy-efficient appliances. And thanks to increased public awareness, per capita usage was down by 10.5% in the first half of 2013, compared with the same period in 2012.

What is the investment required for installing 1.8 GW of solar energy, and how does the government plan to raise the funds for the project?

Partnership with various stakeholders, like technology developers, is paramount to success.

Besides Qatar's growing importance as a hub for research and technology, and its ongoing transformation into a knowledge-based economy, it is only logical that many of the planned solar energy projects recommended by the food security plan are designed to encourage public-private partnerships and private investment.

We believe investors can benefit from various existing and planned incentives, as well as from the fact that Qatar enjoys an excellent power infrastructure that can support a future solar energy infrastructure.

What progress is being made on the QR4 billion ($1.1 billion) solar-grade polysilicon production plant at Ras Laffan Industrial City?

The polysilicon manufacturing facility in Ras Laffan Industrial City is being built by Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec). This facility will produce 8,000 metric tonnes per year of high-quality, solar-grade polysilicon.

QSTec is also constructing a 150MW per annum module fabrication facility, as well as installing a 1.6MW solar farm, which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2014.

In the future, this facility is planned to increase polysilicon and module production to meet the market's requirements. It will also expand along the solar value chain to include ingots, wafers and cells, and provide a wide variety of solar applications and technology solutions.

Kahramaa is currently building the substation for the project, which is in an advanced stage of implementation. The key production system equipment is being manufactured, while some has entered the testing phase.

Tell us about the other programmes supporting this renewable source of energy.

Progress is witnessed by several initiatives that promote solar energy in Qatar. One important project is the Solar Resource Map Project sponsored by QNFSP and executed by the German Aerospace Centre DLR, which will assess the solar irradiance profiles and solar energy potential for Qatar. Another project is the Solar Test Facility located at the Qatar Science and Technology Park, which is sponsored jointly by Green Gulf and Chevron. This is a 35,000-sq. m (7-acre) facility that undertakes photovoltaic and solar thermal systems testing in order to identify the most suitable solar technologies for Qatar.

The Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation, is focusing on a pilot water desalination plant powered by solar energy. We are also seeing various real estate development companies that are beginning to incorporate solar technologies into building design for power production, heating and cooling needs. While many of these initiatives are small-scale and distributed in nature, they are expected to be a major contributor in the energy mix of the future.

As for the FIFA football World Cup finals, the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee is planning a green event by utilising various means and technologies including solar energy cooling technologies in sports stadiums.
An important development to mention in this regard is the establishment of a New Energy Department within Qatar Petroleum, which constitutes an essential feature for government efforts to promote an overarching strategy for both renewable and nuclear energy.

QP, with the intention of staged development in renewable energy, has initiated a feasibility study to install a 2-MW solar PV (photovoltaic) pilot project on its own premises. The activity at QP will facilitate gaining operational knowledge, better policy formulation, and setting up a business environment for renewable energy. This effort supports QP's emerging leadership role in renewable energies, and sets a foundation for revenue diversification. The pilot project is expected to be commissioned in early 2015.

The solar energy future in Qatar is in the process of steady development. The combination of efforts made in the solar sector will lead to a comprehensive strategy towards achieving national development goals specifically targeting economic diversification and energy mix objectives.

Solar Updates

  • The polysilicon manufacturing facility being built by Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) will produce 8,000 metric tonnes per year of high-quality, solar-grade polysilicon.

  • QSTec is also constructing a 150-MW per annum module fabrication facility, as well as installing a 1.6-MW solar farm, which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2014.

  • The Solar Resource Map Project sponsored by QNFSP and executed by the German Aerospace Centre DLR will assess the solar irradiance profiles and solar energy potential for Qatar.

  • QP has initiated a feasibility study to install a 2-MW solar PV pilot project on its premises to be commissioned by 2015.

© Qatar Today 2014