Qatar’s state-owned petroleum company, Qatar Petroleum (QP) targets to take a vital role in shaping the future of global energy delivery by building a substantial solar capacity around the region, according to the firm’s Sustainability Report.
In its report, QP noted that Siraj Energy, a joint venture between Qatari state-owned entities, will be generating nearly 800MW electricity from photovoltaic (PV) solar technology following the country’s policy to make low carbon energy. Additional PV solar capacity of two 400 MW plants at QP industrial cities is currently in the planning stage and expected to start its operation before 2025.
Currently, renewables are the fastest-growing energy source in the world, which has the potential to fulfill between 36 percent and 67 percent of the electricity demand of the globe by 2040. Solar energy is expected to generate 19 percent of total global power by 2040 under the sustainable development scenario (SDS).
“We quickly adopted renewables, making them a key component of our climate roadmap, leading to a more diverse energy mix by actively promoting the development and introduction of new forms of alternative energy,” QP stated in its report.
Following the Siraj venture, QP has committed to an ambitious solar plant project, which is currently under construction and will employ photovoltaic (PV) solar technology to generate 800MW of electricity near Al Kharsaa, Qatar.
The total capacity of the plant will be implemented over two phases with Phase 1 delivering 400MW in 2021 and Phase 2 scheduled for completion a year later. Electricity produced from these plants will be used to supply planned LNG and petrochemical expansion projects.
According to the Sustainability Report, in 2019, the state-owned company completed the feasibility study for the QP Industrial Cities Solar Project, which suggested the suitable PV solar technology.
“Our ambition is to increase our renewable capacity by two to four GW by 2030 (including Siraj and QP Industrial Cities projects). NFE LNG expansion and Ras Laffan Petrochemical Project’s upcoming petrochemicals complex will be powered by solar energy from the QP industries Solar Project, thereby reducing our indirect emissions in Ras Laffan Industrial City,” QP noted.
