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Qatar Entering the Solar Energy Era

by Aisha Abdelhamid June 17, 2015

Originally published on EdenKeeper.org.

Sitting under a tent in the bright, clean sunshine of Qatar, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser listened intently as His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani shared an inspiration with her. It was early 1995, and together the noble couple conceived a plan for the post-carbon, cleantech future of their country. Envisioning a land of greater choice in education, health, and social progress for all of the citizens of Qatar, from that moment forward they set out to accomplish these goals.

Founded in August of that same year, the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development became the means of turning the loftily conceived inspiration into a reality. Chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the private, non-profit Qatar Foundation is leading the way in the nation’s human, social, and economic development. Utilizing education, science and research, and community development, Qatar Foundation is promoting productive and sustainable change in the region.

Qatar National Vision 2030

Published in July 2008, the Qatar National Vision 2030 outlines how Qatar will use the huge revenues from its vast hydrocarbon resources to transform the nation into a modern, post-carbon, knowledge-based economy. Qatar Foundation is the mandated engine driving the people of Qatar to this clean energy future. The Foundation recognizes education as the key to developing the necessary human resources for a sustained and successful future.

As His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani states, “The new world educational system recognizes that education is a universal right and hence enables students wherever they might be to have access to the means of innovation, creativity, acquisition of knowledge and expertise and the practice of responsibility.”

Representing in microcosm all of the changes that have occurred over the past two decades in Qatar, the Qatar Foundation has now grown into a vast network. Over 80 world-renowned universities and internationally acclaimed organizations focus on everything from international development to community health, and to preserving Qatar’s cultural and architectural heritage. Internationally known as Education City, the 2,500-acre multiversity with nearly 4,000 students of 90 nationalities is the Qatar Foundation Headquarters, and is both literally and figuratively the heart of Qatar.

Entering the Solar Energy Era

Springing from the Qatar Foundation Research and Development wing in Education City, the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) encourages companies and institutes from around the world to develop and commercialize their clean technology in Qatar. QSTP is also Qatar’s primary incubator for technology development, helping entrepreneurs launch their technology businesses.

Hosting a recent TECHtalk series, featuring high-profile experts from Qatar’s renewable energy sector, QSTP invited Mr. Omran Al Kuwari, cofounder and CEO of GreenGulf, and Dr. Mohammad Khaleel, Executive Director of Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI).

Founded in 2009, GreenGulf, a successful Qatari startup launched by QSTP, is responsible for 3.5 MW of Qatar’s 4 MW total installed solar capacity. From the country’s first solar photovoltaic (PV) system, installed by GreenGulf on the roof of the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), CEO Al Kuwari noted that solar initiatives have gained momentum and the solar industry is rapidly multiplying.

June 17, 2015 0 comment

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Solar Power Could Replace Oil In The Middle East?

by Jake Richardson December 9, 2014

written by Jake Richardson

The Middle East has made enormous amounts of money selling oil to the rest of the world, but it also has great amounts of sunlight. The cost of solar power technology has dropped dramatically in recent years, so it makes economic sense that there is more openness to this form of clean, renewable energy.

Solar power replacing oil in the region of the world which is iconic for petroleum production would be a major tectonic shift. It won’t happen soon, but when you consider that Yemen gets all of its electricity by burning oil and most of Lebanon’s comes from the same source, it makes more sense, simply because oil is expensive compared with free sunlight.

Then, there is the fact that burning so much oil produces unhealthy air pollution, “Such inefficient consumption of energy has had adverse affects on the air quality in MENA. Five MENA countries, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Iran, and Kuwait are among the top ten countries in terms of PM10[1] concentrations. Moreover, 29 cities in MENA are among the 100 most polluted cities in the world.”

Air pollution causes respiratory illnesses and many premature deaths every year.

Surely any reasonable person would ask if the Middle East has enough sunlight for solar power to be a reasonable alternative to the colossal oil consumption there. The answer is definitely yes. A World Bank blog post explained, “In a 2008 study, the Center for Global Development reported that solar power in MENA has the potential of meeting 50 to 70 percent of global electricity demand. Therefore, it is technically and also economically feasible (albeit on a level economic playing field and over the long-term) for MENA to meet its internal electricity demand from purely solar power.”

Furthermore, the Middle East has enough sunlight that it is possible it could become
an exporter of electricity made from solar power. In other words, the region already
has the business knowledge and contacts from being a global petroleum exporter, so
in theory it might be easier for it to also become a chief exporter of clean electricity.

There is a clear economic incentive in play if the Middle East can make money by
investing in solar power and then begin to sell it to neighboring countries. Of course, the greatest incentive might be the money it saves over the long-term by investing in solar power, because it would no longer have to consume so much oil.

Two things that favor solar power are the fact the building a productive solar power plant can be completed in two years. Another is that once completed, solar power plants can produce clean electricity for 20-30 years.

So, rather than being an anomaly, solar power could become commonplace in the Middle East.

Israel already has achieved a very high rate of home hot water solar heater usage.

Image Credit: Public Domain

December 9, 2014 1 comment

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Qatar Now Home To 300 MW Integrated Solar PV Manufacturing Plant

by James Ayre June 20, 2014

written by James Ayre

A brand-new 300 MW solar PV module production plant was recently officially opened in the Doha industrial zone in Qatar.

Developed by the first vertically integrated PV manufacturer in the MENA region — Qatar Solar Energy — with the help of a variety of other PV equipment suppliers, the plant represents an important step towards the country’s renewable energy goals, as per Qatar National Vision 2030.

Qatar solar module manufacturing

The CEO of Qatar Solar Energy, Salim Abbassi, noted: “Qatar Solar Energy is dedicated to democratizing sustainable energy by delivering environmentally responsible solutions to the world’s pressing energy challenges. By lowering the cost, our technology will empower individuals and businesses with affordable electricity in developed and emerging markets. This is a significant milestone for Qatar and proves that the region can be on the leading edge of an industry that will secure sustainable energy for future generations.”

Supply agreements have apparently already been secured, with 150 MW of production capacity slated for the Japanese market, and 150 MW for the Thailand market. Not much is known about these agreements other than that at this time, though.

According to company officials, current plans are to eventually expand production at the new plant up to 2.5 GW.

Along with that, the company is also working — via its research arm, the Al Jazari Center for Excellence — to further improve its development, manufacturing, and deployment processes.

In related news, Qatar also recently became home to a new pilot facility of the Sahara Forest Project.

For those that don’t know, the Sahara Forest Project is an attempt to create an all-in-one integrated solution to provide energy, freshwater, and food. The concept works via the use of solar energy to drive freshwater distillation used in a cleverly designed greenhouse concept.

This has all been going quite well in Qatar apparently, with the project reporting that its “greenhouses are competitive with European yields, while using half the water of conventional greenhouses in the region.”

Those interested can find out more at the project’s website.

June 20, 2014 1 comment