Review of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Activities in the State of Qatar

Alan S. Weber Premedical Department

Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar Doha, Qatar

alw2010@qatar-med.cornell.edu

Abstract—Although seemingly paradoxical, the hydrocarbon-rich countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) are all engaged in sustainable energy research and initiatives. The reasons are varied and complex, but ultimately the natural resources of oil and gas from which the GCC nations derive most of their wealth are finite. Pollution is a growing concern in the Gulf, and the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar have some of the highest per capita carbon emission rates in the world, primarily from gas flaring and refining, and the proliferation of vehicles without emission controls. Qatar has only recently entered the field of sustainable energy research, and no projects have been fully deployed yet, but the planned R & D agenda is ambitious: aviation biofuels, solar photovoltaics (PV), Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), polycrystalline silicon production, and solar desalination.

Keywords-sustainable and renewable energy; State of Qatar; GCC energy policy

I. INTRODUCTION All of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries,

which include Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and the UAE, have recently expressed interest in alternative, renewable, and sustainable energies. Hydrocarbon production and exports dominate each of their economies, which supply the bulk of their GDP as well as fuel and feedstock for ancillary industries such as fertilizers, petrochemicals and aluminum smelting. Only Dubai and Bahrain, where oil was first struck in the Gulf and which is facing imminent oil production declines, have diversified their economies into other economic sectors. In 2004, there was essentially 0.0% production of energy in each GCC nation from biomass, waste, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, solar photovoltaic (PV), and solar thermal [1].

However in 2013, pilot projects, research and investment are now going on in every GCC country in almost every area of renewable energy. Qatar hopes to generate over 1 GW of power from renewable energy resources by 2020 [2]. Six major renewable energy resource projects are underway in Qatar (see Table 1 below, Bachellerie, 2012). This sudden interest can be explained by several factors: oil and gas, which currently provide almost all GCC domestic energy needs, are ultimately

finite and world peak oil production may have already occurred; electricity demand in the GCC is outstripping supply (except in Qatar, which has excess capacity to export); increases in domestic gas and oil use are reducing national income from exports; the region is becoming more reliant on desalinated water which takes energy to produce; and renewable energy could potentially create a buffer from volatile oil price shocks which greatly impact all aspects of economic, political and social life in the oil-rich countries.

The recent interest in renewables may also be entirely market-driven (i.e. carbon capture, co-generation and reuse schemes increase extractable energy), and the continuing high price of oil makes solar and wind energy more cost competitive. With cheap fuel for production and an ample supply of silicon, Qatar’s decision to produce solar panels may provide a lucrative export item and a source of economic diversification as world-wide demand for solar power increases. Qatar and the nearby Rub al Khali desert contain large quantities of silicate (quartz) sand for glass production as well as inexpensive and abundant natural gas from its LNG facilities. Thus the heavy panels can be produced for the domestic market at low overall cost, saving on shipping costs, and later they can be economically exported to other GCC states when the regional rail network is completed. Qatar is specifically looking at the post-Fukushima Japanese solar power market since it already has large LNG contracts with that country. Several commentators have argued that oil market manipulation and geopolitical policy leading to artificial scarcity / high price of oil is driving technical innovation in both unconventional fossil fuels (shale oil, shale gas, oil sands, coal liquefaction) and renewable energy technologies [3]. As Mason points out, “ironically, within MENA it is the oil-rich Gulf States that have expressed the greatest interest in renewable energy, though this is explicable in terms of their need to recycle huge financial surpluses from oil production, as they seek vehicles for economic diversification” [4]. The MENA region has some of the highest insolation rates in the world, making solar energy an attractive and profitable energy alternative using existing Photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technologies, especially if excess capacity could be exported to Europe’s energy grid. As Oxford physicist C. Llewellyn Smith argues: “solar energy could in principle

This research was supported by funds from Qatar Foundation, State of Qatar. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Qatar Foundation or the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.

978-1-4673-6374-7/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE

easily provide all the world’s energy needs: with 15 % efficiency (which is readily available from Photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power), 0.5 % of the world’s land surface could provide 20 TW of electricity” [5].

Many geologists are coming to the general consensus that the “easy oil” has already been located and is being extracted, and thus the world will eventually need to be weaned off of fossil fuels. If anthropogenic CO2 production is driving climate change, then CO2 emissions will also need to be reduced worldwide: the GCC is one of the highest per capita producers of CO2. Qatar has the highest CO2 emissions per capita per year, according to estimates by both the World Bank (57.7 metric tons, 2007) and IEA figures (40.12 tonnes, 2009) [6].

The four major areas of energy consumption in the GCC are water desalination, residential needs, oil production itself, and oil-related industries. The availability of cheap oil and gas encourages waste and inefficiency as most GCC countries subsidize the true costs of water and electricity (both of which are free for Qatar citizens), encouraging overconsumption. Unfortunately, taxes and tariffs to reduce consumption and to mitigate the need to increase power generation are politically untenable in the current climate where nationals view the role of the state as the distributor of oil revenue and the creator of employment and social welfare. Free or low cost water and electricity are now viewed as a citizen right. Regulation of consumption is thus not politically feasible, as the GCC governments would have to address the issue of inequalities in wealth and overconsumption by elites. With respect to Sustainable Consumption Policies (SCP), “the vast majority of SCP policies that exist in the West Asian region are in the form of declarations, recommendations and guidelines. They are predominantly not, however, legally or politically binding in nature. Policies curbing consumer demand using taxes or rationalizing fuel subsidies are rarely used, as they are seen as politically risky. Instead, supply-side policies and measures, such as improving the efficiency of a grid, providing new or improved modes of transportation and improving treatment technologies, are more common, as they do not restrict the consumer” [7].

One major development which could impact the increased use of renewables in the GCC, particularly in Qatar, as well as reduce waste, is the establishment of the GCC electricity grid. Electricity consumption in the GCC countries increased by a rate of 8.87% from 2005 to 2009 [8]. The GCC states except for the UAE and Oman connected their power grids in 2009, and full integration may take place in 2013. This scheme could “facilitate expansion in renewable energy sources due to the wider coverage of the electrical grid,” since loads are shared and can be balanced more efficiently, and there is more opportunity for place-specific renewable resources, such as wave or wind power, to be economically connected to the grid [9]. Qatar’s power generation capacity in 2011 was 8,000 MW, with only 5,300 MW consumption at peak load, leaving a 2,700 MW reserve electricity surplus for potential export [10]. Thus increases in power generation through renewables for countries like Qatar could provide revenue by exporting excess capacity to the more power-hungry GCC states on the grid such as Saudi Arabia.

Water is often neglected in the overall energy equation, but fossil water aquifers in the Gulf are being depleted at 6 times the replenishment rate, and 4 times the replenishment rate in Qatar. In particular, the Rus and upper Umm Er Radhuma aquifers of northern Qatar have experienced heavy exploitation by agricultural interests and oil drilling, and efforts have been made to drill recharge wells to capture flood water runoff before evaporation [11]. The total abstraction is far in excess of the average natural recharge. Qataris are some of the highest per capita water users in the world, which can be explained by the fact that water is provided for free by the government, and a staggering 30-35% of the water supply is lost in system leakage [12]. The result is that if wasteful consumption and loss of ground water for economically unproductive agriculture (contributing <.1% to Qatar’s GDP) continue, then shortly Qatar will need to rely solely on energy-intensive gas-fired Multi-stage Flash (MSF) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination plants as its main source of water [13]. Thus in most GCC energy development strategies power generation and desalination are integral concerns.

Qatar’s planned mega-projects (port and airport expansion, light rail system, facilities for the 2022 World Cup soccer matches) will require the importation of more foreign expatriate labor which will place further strains on both energy requirements and the potable water system, which is almost entirely derived from gas-fired desalination plants. An estimated 1 million extra workers will be needed for these projects, amounting to an extra 1/3 of the current total population of 1.7 million people. To address some of these concerns, Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) is currently carrying out joint research in Dukhan with Japan’s Water Reuse Promotion Center on reverse osmosis desalination methods that would greatly reduce energy consumption.

TABLE I. NUMBER OF CURRENT AND PLANNED RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS IN QATAR TO 2014

II. RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE STATE OF QATAR

A. Introduction Oil and gas are the primary GDP drivers in Qatar, but in

2005 a moratorium on further exploitation of natural gas at Qatar’s main resource the North Field was set in place, and LNG production will shortly plateau [14]. Technical studies of the field’s recoverable reserves and recommended management plans will not be available before 2015. Since Qatar consumes almost 25-30% of its gas production domestically, reducing

internal consumption through substitution by renewables will make more gas available for export. Similarly, Saudi Arabia plans to invest $109 billion dollars in solar energy by 2032 to generate one-third of its power needs so that more oil is available for export rather than being consumed domestically [15].

Wind power was demonstrated to be economically feasible in Qatar in 2003 based on wind speed measurement at Haloul Island off the coast of Qatar, but the government does not appear to be pursuing this renewable energy option at the moment [16]. In 2008, Qatar rejected development of nuclear power generation as not needed due to sufficient power generation from current sources, primarily natural gas [17]. Thus solar power, biofuels, and green building strategies are the current focus in sustainable energy policy in Qatar, along with research in these areas.

B. Renewables for Reducing Qatar’s Carbon Footprint According to WWF International, Qatar had the largest

“ecological footprint” in the world in 2011, much of it attributable to carbon production. The ecological footprint is a measure of the amount of land and sea environment required to satisfy human demand for resources [18].

Qatar, which along with the other GCC nations ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), hosted the UNFCC COP18 meeting in Doha in November, 2012, and despite Qatar’s unenviable distinction as having the highest per capita CO2 emissions in the world, the country may be truly concerned about climate change mitigation, such as sea level change. Much of the country lies at or below sea level, and the country has invested in extensive coastal development and land reclamation projects such as West Bay lagoon and The Pearl which will be flooded if the ocean level rises [19]. Also, air pollution from both natural sources (fine particulates from the Rub al Khali desert and loose wind-eroded carbonate soils) and man-made fine aerosols from gas flaring and vehicles, is a recognized problem in Qatar, resulting in higher respiratory illnesses such as asthma and COPD, although only PM10 air quality data been shared with the public and not the more pernicious PM2.5. Accurate epidemiological data for respiratory illness is also lacking. Although much associated gas internationally is flared due to lack of transport pipelines or as part of pressure relief systems, Qatar is fortunate in that it is both a major oil and gas producer with a ship-based LNG transport system and small land mass; thus all flared gas could potentially be captured both for export and for power and co-generation.

However, Reiche notes that “the general perception of the world is that the GCC is one of the main actors impeding international climate change negotiations. Per capita, they are also one of the top contributors to pollution in the world” [20]. However, this is not entirely true as GCC nations, who are all Non-Annex I parties to the UNFCCC, are now working to use the UNFCCC to its advantage. Carbon capture schemes which are in the initial stages in Qatar will not only reduce CO2 emissions, but also increase the efficiency of energy processes and eventually save money. Qatar has embarked on Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR-CO2) technology research involving

introducing waste CO2 into wells to increase production capacity at the Al-Shaheen field [21]. The Al-Shaheen Oil Field Gas Recovery and Utilization Project has been registered by Qatar Petroleum as part of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the UNFCCC. Also, the stadiums to be built to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup Football matches in Doha will be carbon-neutral and solar cooled.

In September, 2012, the Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre (QCCSRC) opened at Imperial College, London with a 10 year research mandate and 70 million USD in funding. The laboratories will study the storage of CO2 in carbonate rock. The project will also provide a better understanding of the fluid dynamics of gas and liquid movement through carbonate sediments, leading to theoretical insight into and practical management of hydrocarbon reservoirs. The project is a joint venture of Shell, Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP).

Figure 1. Direct Normal Incidence (DNI) for Qatar from Al Naser and Al Naser, 2011.

C. Solar Power in Qatar Small scale research on a solar pond for residential cooling

was carried out at Qatar University in 1992 [22]. Solar energy is probably the most promising renewable option for the entire Gulf region including Qatar due to the high average insolation (solar irradiation) rate in the Arabian Gulf of approximately 1800 kilowatt/h per square meter [23]. Qatar’s insolation rates useful for calculating PV and CSP potential are above the Gulf average at an estimated 2200 kWh/m2/y Direct Normal Irradiance and 2140 kWh/m2/y Global Horizontal Irradiance

[24]. The DNI map of Qatar prepared by Al Naser and Al Naser (2011) appears in Fig. 1 above. The primary research focus in renewable energy in Qatar, described below, is centered on solar energy, including new PV technologies, CSP, and hybrid solar systems, including solar desalination.

D. R & D in Renewable Energy: The Knowledge Economy Qatar’s National Vision statement for 2030 emphasizes the

need to transition from a hydrocarbon to a knowledge-based economy which would include patents, peer-reviewed research, and human capacity building in science, biomedicine, and technology [25]. Thus research in renewable energies with the view towards creating patentable processes is being increasingly funded by joint partnerships and the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), the national research funding agency. Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) is a business incubator created by Qatar Foundation and several sustainable energy initiatives are planned or have started operation there. Qatar Foundation’s newly formed Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) will also take the lead in sustainable energy research.

In 2011, Chevron’s Center for Sustainable Energy Efficiency (CSEE) opened at QSTP, and will carry out research in energy efficiency and region-specific solar technologies. The company will invest 20 million USD over five years in the initiative [26]. In 2010, Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) was formed as a joint venture between German company SolarWorld AG (29% stake), Qatar Foundation (70%), and the Qatar Development Bank (1%) [27]. A plant located at Ras Laffan is expected to produce 3,500 tons per year of polysilicon, one of the main ingredients of solar panels. The initial investment in the venture was 500 million USD. A 100MW photovoltaic power plant will also be set up in QSTP by 2014 using panels manufactured by QSTec.

The German company Heliocentris, which specializes in energy efficiency and clean energy, will supply a teaching laboratory to Qatar University for research on energy production, management and storage [28].

RAND Corporation was commissioned in 2011 to study and make recommendations on research priorities for Qatar Foundation’s Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI). One of RAND’s main recommendations was to promote research into both Concentrated Solar Power and Photovoltaics: “Solar energy is one of the only major renewable resources in Qatar, but it is plentiful there and in the region. As such, it is a potentially major resource for Qatar’s long-term energy security. If even a small fraction of the energy in incident solar radiation could be economically collected and put to productive use, all of Qatar’s energy needs could be met by sunlight alone” [29]. Since Qatar is currently rich in gas resources, hybrid Integrated Solar Combined Cycle systems using Concentrating Solar Power with traditional gas turbines as a backup would fit well into Qatar’s long-term power generation strategy.

Drawing on its success with demonstrating the first successful passenger airline flight with a 50-50 blend of synthetic Gas to Liquids (GTL) kerosene and conventional kerosene, Qatar Airways, Airbus, Qatar Petroleum and QSTP

are developing a Biomass-to-Liquid aviation fuel program [30]. Algae appears to be one of the most promising feedstocks.

III. CONCLUSION Renewable energy initiatives and research in the GCC are

still a novelty, especially in Qatar. In 2011, however, total financial investment in renewable energy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region grew by 104% to a total of $5 billion [31]. The Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, a zero-carbon sustainable city powered by renewable energy, and the home of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), is particularly impressive in scope and vision. Clean energy research at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia is in full swing. The UAE announced in 2009 that 7% of its energy needs will come from renewables by 2030. As Mezher points out, “this policy marks the start of a new energy era in the UAE” [32] and may also signal a shift in thinking in the other GCC countries who are embracing and planning for the inevitable end of the oil era. Qatar appears to be poised to leverage its current LNG strengths and ample sovereign wealth funds to spearhead research and pilot projects into clean and renewable energies in its bid to become a knowledge hub of the Middle East.

References

[1] M.A. Raouf, and A. Saif, “Renewable energy in the Arab Gulf states: Current situation and prospects,” GRC Environment Research Bulletin, no. 4, February 2012, p. 12.

[2] GCC Renewable Energy Sector Analysis. New Delhi: Kuick Research, 2012, p. 88.

[3] A.M. Jaffe, K. Medlock, and R. Soligo, The Status of World Oil Reserves and Implications for the Gulf. Abu Dhabi: Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, 2011.

[4] M. Mason, “Conclusion: Towards a Renewable Energy Transition in the Middle East and North Africa?” in M. Mason, and A. Mor, Eds., Renewable Energy in the Middle East: Enhancing Security in the Middle East through Regional Cooperation on Renewable Energy. New York: Springer, 2009, p. 220.

[5] C. Llewellyn Smith, “The Energy challenge,” Appl. Petrochem. Res., vol. 2, 2012, pp. 3-6.

[6] World Bank, “CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita)”, 2007, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC?order=wbapi_data_value_2008+wbapi_data_value+wbapi_data_value-last&sort=desc; International Energy Agency, Co2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion Highlights 2011. Paris: IEA, 2011, p. 99; M. E. H. Arouri, A. B. Youssef, H. M’henni, and C. Rault, Energy consumption, economic growth and CO2 emissions in Middle East and North African countries, En. Pol., vol. 45, 2012, p. 347.

[7] H. Allam, A. El-Dorghamy, and S. Imam, “Global Outlook on SCP Policies: West Asia.” In Global Outlook on SCP Policies Report. NY: UNEP, 2012, p. 21.

[8] W.E. Al Naser and N.W. Al Naser, The Status of renewable energy in the GCC countries, Ren. and Sus. En. Rev., vol. 15, 2011, p. 3097; M. Qader, Electricity Consumption and GHG Emissions in GCC Countries, Energies vol. 2, 2009, pp. 1201-1213.

[9] H. Allam, A. El-Dorghamy, and S. Imam, “Global Outlook on SCP Policies: West Asia.” In Global Outlook on SCP Policies Report. NY: UNEP, 2012, p. 8.

[10] I.J. Bachellerie, Renewable Energy in the GCC Countries: Resources, Potential and Prospects. Dubai: Gulf Research Center, 2012, p. 101.

[11] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Irrigation in the Middle East Region in Figures, Rome, FAO, 2009, p. 320.

[12] Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016 (QNDS). Doha: Qatar General Secretariat for Development Planning, 2011, p. 220.

[13] N. Kalra, O. Younossi, K.N. Kamarck, S. Al-Dorani, G. Cecchine, A.E. Curtright, C. Feng, A. Litovitz, D.R. Johnson, M. Makki, S. Nataraj, D.S. Ortiz, P. Roshan, and C. Samaras. Recommended Research Priorities for the Qatar Foundation’s Environment and Energy Research Institute. Doha: Rand-Qatar Policy Institute, 2011, p. 109.

[14] Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016 (QNDS). Doha: Qatar General Secretariat for Development Planning, 2011, p. 53.

[15] B. Faucon, “OPEC looks to the sun for strength: Middle Eastern countries figure the less oil they consume, the more they have to export,” Wall St. J., 16 September 2012. http://online.wsj.com.

[16] H. Doukas, K.D. Patlitzianas, A.G. Kagiannas, and J. Psarras, “Renewable energy sources and rationale use of energy development in the countries of GCC: Myth or reality?,” Ren. En., vol. 31, 2006, pp. 763-64; A.H. Marafia, and H.A. Ashour, “Economics of off-shore/on-shore wind energy systems in Qatar.” Ren. En., vol. 28, 2003, pp. 1953-63.

[17] S. Ashutosh, N. Sultan, and D. Weir, “Going Nuclear in the GCC Countries: Rationale, Challenges, and Politics,” in M.A. Ramady, Ed., The GCC Economies: Stepping Up To Future Challenges. New York: Springer, 2012, p. 13.

[18] WWF International, Living Planet Report: Biodiversity, Biocapacity and Better Choices. Gland, Switzerland: WWF International, 2012, p. 33.

[19] D. Kumetat, “Climate change in the Persian Gulf – regional security, sustainability strategies and research needs,” CEIDIR Review Number 9, 2009.

[20] D. Reiche, “Energy policies of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—possibilities and limitations of ecological modernization in rentier states,” En. Pol., vol. 38, 2010, p. 2395.

[21] Y.M. Al-Saleh, G. Vidican, L. Natarajan, and V.V. Theeyattuparampil, “Carbon capture, utilisation and storage scenarios for the Gulf Cooperation Council region: A Delphi-based foresight study,” Futures, vol. 44, 2012, p. 105.

[22] W.A. Kamal, “A solar pond for air conditioning a small family house in Qatar,” Eng. J. Qat. U., vol. 5, 1992, pp. 163-76.

[23] M.A. Raouf, and A. Saif, “Renewable energy in the Arab Gulf states: Current situation and prospects,” GRC Env. Res. Bull., no. 4, February 2012, p. 12.

[24] W.E. Al Naser and N.W. Al Naser, The Status of renewable energy in the GCC countries, Ren. and Sus. En. Rev., vol. 15, 2011, p. 3078.

[25] W.E. Al Naser and N.W. Al Naser, The Status of renewable energy in the GCC countries, Ren. and Sus. En. Rev., vol. 15, 2011, p. 3095.

[26] A.S. Weber, The Role of education in knowledge economies in developing countries. Proceedings of the Third World Conference on Educational Sciences. Ed. Gonul Akçamete. Istanbul: Bahçesehir University Press, 2011; A.S. Weber, What is a knowledge economy? Oil-rich nations post-oil, Int. J. of Sci. in Soc., vol. 2, 2011, 1-9.

[27] Ameinfo.com, “Qatar Foundation enters solar energy sector with launch of Qatar Solar Technologies,” 2 March 2010. http://www. ameinfo.com/225489.html.

[28] “Heliocentris energy lab order in Qatar, expands Middle East presence,” Fuel Cells Bull., vol. 2011, no. 10, October 2011.

[29] N. Kalra, O. Younossi, K.N. Kamarck, S. Al-Dorani, G. Cecchine, A.E. Curtright, C. Feng, A. Litovitz, D.R. Johnson, M. Makki, S. Nataraj, D.S. Ortiz, P. Roshan, and C. Samaras. Recommended Research Priorities for the Qatar Foundation’s Environment and Energy Research Institute. Doha: Rand-Qatar Policy Institute, 2011, p. 58.

[30] I.J. Bachellerie, Renewable Energy in the GCC Countries: Resources, Potential and Prospects. Dubai: Gulf Research Center, 2012, p. 115.

[31] A. McCrone, et al., Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2011. Frankfurt, Germany: Frankfort School UNEP Centre and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, 2011, p. 11.

[32] T. Mezher, G. Dawelbait, and Z. Abbas, “Renewable energy policy options for Abu Dhabi: Drivers and barriers, En. Pol., vol. 42, 2012, p. 315.