ENERGY City Qatar (ECQ) has said it will extend the use of solar energy from 6 MW to 9 MW following a collaboration agreement with Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec).

Rashid Nasser Sraiya Al Kaabi, chairman of Energy City, said the extended figure represented 15 per cent of total enery usage at ECQ.

QSTec has committed to helping Energy City Qatar (ECQ) incorporate solar panels and technologies into its future developments by signing an MoU.

Dr Khalid Klefeekh Al Hajri, chairman and CEO of QSTec, and Al Kaabi signed the MOU at ECQ’s offices in West Bay, Doha.

By incorporating QSTec’s solar panels and technologies into its buildings, ECQ will meet national building standards such as QSAS and silver and gold Leed certifications, codes designed to encourage organisations to use environmentally friendly and sustainable energy sources in buildings.

Al Hajri commented: “QSTec is well on its way to building a brand new industry of solar energy for Qatar so we are pleased to be joining forces with Energy City Qatar, one of Qatar’s most important projects, to collaborate on developing solar solutions that meet their needs.

“We aim to work with all Qatari organisations and institutions that are looking to utilise solar energy to become more sustainable. This MOU will see us working together to develop sustainable energy solutions that will have a positive effect on the environment and we expect to see many more local organisations adopting solar technologies in the future.”

Al Kaabi said Energy City Qatar was the first to implement green and sustainable building concepts in Qatar. “With both Leed and QSAS certifications, the concept and creation of ECQ stands on firm sustainability grounds. We are delighted to see that green building and sustainable construction that includes the adoption of alternative energy systems is widely accepted and showing an upward trend in Qatar and the region.”

The official said it was an honour to be the first real estate company to sign up with QStec.

Qatar Solar Technologies’ number one priority is providing solar solutions that are sustainable, efficient and the very best quality. QSTec will start by producing high-quality, solar grade polysilicon, the key ingredient that goes into making the world’s most efficient solar technologies such as solar cells and modules that convert the power of the sun into energy. This solar energy will provide a sustainable alternative source of energy whilst conserving and protecting Qatar’s natural resources for the future.

In the not too distant future, QSTec hopes to build solar modules made in Qatar from its own polysilicon and  export them to the rest of the world.

Built on 1.2 million sq m of land in RasLaffan Industrial City, Qatar, QSTec’s $1 billion polysilicon manufacturing plant will produce 8,000 tonnes per year (tpy) of polysilicon but it is designed to expand as demand grows. Eventually, it will be able to produce more than 45,000 tpy of polysilicon with ingots, wafers, cells and module manufacturing facilities.

ECQ is a fully integrated business cluster that will be the Gulf’s first oil and gas industry commercial hub. It will be a single point of access to the Middle East and global oil and gas players in the hydrocarbon value chain.