In Qatar, a company with ties to
the government is looking to invest in solar energy in a big way as part of a
larger trend toward renewables and away from oil in a region that, for
decades, has relied on exporting barrels of crude.
News reports this month said the company, Qatar
Solar Technologies (QSTech) is working with the German companies SolarWorld and
Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG to roll out more impressive arrays of solar panels
across the country.
QSTech has set a benchmark of 6.5 GW worth of solar
facilities, without a detailed timeline. The company is a member of the Qatar Foundation,
a nonprofit group founded in 1995 by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The
Qatar Foundation gets government funds and is headquartered in Education City in
Doha.
The goal of 6.5 GW is significant – for comparison, news
from Saudi Arabia shows the kingdom is committed to reaching a solar capacity of
9.5 GW by 2030.
Qatar leaders working on solar expansion cite Paris
summits and other international moves toward environmental awareness as aspects
boosting the development of new solar facilities today. QSTech Chairman and CEO Khalid K Al Hajri is quoted in World Finance magazine as claiming that nearly
60 percent of the world’s energy needs will be driven by renewables by 2040. Many GCC
leaders plan to be out front of this average, since some western nations and
others around the world lag on promoting new renewable energy
sources.
QSTech leaders also showed how the price of solar is coming down, and feasibility is approaching a critical mass where there’s a
smaller gap between costs for solar and gas.
“It is a smart move, a natural hedge to develop alternative fuel and income sources for an
economy so reliant on oil,” John Tough, vice president of business development operations at Choose Energy, a San Francisco-based company offering online platforms for making energy choices, told the Gulf News Journal. “
Furthermore, it will help create new jobs outside of
the oil industry.”
Tough pointed out that moving away from oil will also help
with the market volatility that has besieged traditional energy choices in the
region as slacking demand has caused the price of oil to fall to unprecedented
lows.
“These new jobs should be less volatile … effectively
providing more consistent income for local workers.” Tough said.
As for guiding the Qatar economy off of oil, Tough said that
while that end goal may be far away, incremental steps may be the way to get
there.
“Every small investment helps.” Tough said.
Time will show which of the GCC countries is able to first
bring solar energy to that critical mass point and demonstrate how renewables
will power a future world. One thing’s for sure – leaders across the region are
committed to these efforts, and are optimistic about a solar tomorrow.
