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Qatar will easily have at least 100MW of solar power in five years, Qatar Science & Technology Park executive chairman Dr Tidu Maini predicted yesterday.
A plant to make polysilicon, the much sought-after raw material for solar cells, and private Qatari companies to establish solar power plants are part of the agenda.
“Plans are in the final stages for the polysilicon plant,” explained Dr Maini who had revealed the idea in last March to Gulf Times.
QSTP’s promoter Qatar Foundation is to make an investment of more than $500mn for the plant. Qatar Petroleum (QP) will be a strategic partner.
The fast track project will take only two years. The hi-tech, modular plant is to be built in Europe by a leading manufacturer and put together here on site.
“There is a short supply, even in this recession, for polysilicon, made by only eight or nine companies,” the official said while observing that 90% of the production is in the US, Germany and China.
These companies have problems in expanding too quickly as the purification process of converting sand to polysilicon takes up lot of energy.
“What we will do in Qatar is to build a base facility, producing 3,000 tonnes a year, and we might go up to 12 tons later,” Dr Maini maintained.
Since the add-on cost for making polysilicon ingots is not that much, this option is also being pursued. The raw material is to be sold to companies in China, India, Germany and France and solar panels procured from them.
QSTP will also encourage its tenants Tata, Chevron, Shell, and Total, which are major players in solar, to collaborate with Qatari companies emerging in the sector.
“The beauty of solar (energy) is that the power plant has no moving parts, and needs only little maintenance,” he said.
It is estimated that the solar cells begin to degrade only after 20 years, the output probably getting less by 30%. “Even then it is not bad,” Dr Maini asserted
A plant to make polysilicon, the much sought-after raw material for solar cells, and private Qatari companies to establish solar power plants are part of the agenda.
“Plans are in the final stages for the polysilicon plant,” explained Dr Maini who had revealed the idea in last March to Gulf Times.
QSTP’s promoter Qatar Foundation is to make an investment of more than $500mn for the plant. Qatar Petroleum (QP) will be a strategic partner.
The fast track project will take only two years. The hi-tech, modular plant is to be built in Europe by a leading manufacturer and put together here on site.
“There is a short supply, even in this recession, for polysilicon, made by only eight or nine companies,” the official said while observing that 90% of the production is in the US, Germany and China.
These companies have problems in expanding too quickly as the purification process of converting sand to polysilicon takes up lot of energy.
“What we will do in Qatar is to build a base facility, producing 3,000 tonnes a year, and we might go up to 12 tons later,” Dr Maini maintained.
Since the add-on cost for making polysilicon ingots is not that much, this option is also being pursued. The raw material is to be sold to companies in China, India, Germany and France and solar panels procured from them.
QSTP will also encourage its tenants Tata, Chevron, Shell, and Total, which are major players in solar, to collaborate with Qatari companies emerging in the sector.
“The beauty of solar (energy) is that the power plant has no moving parts, and needs only little maintenance,” he said.
It is estimated that the solar cells begin to degrade only after 20 years, the output probably getting less by 30%. “Even then it is not bad,” Dr Maini asserted
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