bq | ENERGY l SOLAR POWER
12
Qatar
BIG ENERGY SHINES A LIGHT ON SOLAR The use of solar energy for heating and for generating electricity is not new. With efforts to find clean, renewable energy sources, solar power is starting to make sense to even hydrocarbon-rich Qatar By Rabin Gupta and Shereen D’Souza, Doha
Saleh Hamad Al-Marri, head of the renewable energies technologies section, conservation and energy efficiency department, at Kahramaa
With ample hydrocarbon resources in the form of crude oil and natural gas, one would think that Qatar is the last country in the world that would need to look for alternative sources of energy. However, with another resource in ample supply – sunlight – Qatar is looking to the future and the environment as it bids to harness solar energy to generate electricity. Saleh Hamad Al-Marri, head of the renewable energies technologies section, conservation and energy efficiency department, at Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa), says, “Currently, for energy, we are using LNG. We are also using solar power. Electricity is being produced through the thermal process, which uses LNG for which we are paying local prices, which differ from global prices. Any 1 kilowatt (kW) from solar energy will result in saving natural gas which can be sold outside Qatar with a price increase of USD 5 to USD 8.” In short, use of solar power in this instance would leave more gas for the country to export at a hefty profit and adding to the country’s already bulging coffers.
www.bqdoha.com
bq november pages.indd 12
10/23/2013 11:22:01 PM