Over the past decades, Qatar has looked underground to secure its energy needs, but is now looking to the skies to seize a new vital source. Given that hydrocarbons are a depletable energy source and in line with the sustainability pillar of its national vision, Qatar spends billions of dollars annually as part of its Qatar 2030 plan to achieve self-sufficiency to develop new alternative and clean energy sources such as solar energy to meet the country’s electricity and water needs.
The use of renewable energy technologies also contributes to the creation of significant employment opportunities, the reduction of electricity costs, the assistance of government agencies in achieving self-sufficiency and the implementation of all stages of the plan before 2030. Investments in renewable energy reduce dependence on oil and hydrocarbons in the coming period while the decline in oil prices contributed to accelerating the state’s plans to increase dependence on renewable energy technologies.
The Umm Al Houl Power Plant project is a strategic project for Qatar and one of the largest projects for electricity production and water desalination in the Gulf region. Qatar Electricity and Water Company owns 60% of the project, followed by Mitsubishi TIBCO at 30% and Qatar Foundation at 5%.
