From trams to smart metering, Qatari authorities are tapping into Siemens’ vast expertise in a host of spheres.

As well as those projects, Siemens is at work in power transmission for Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kharamaa), delivering power solutions for Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) and a substation turnkey product for Qatar Steel.

Additionally, the German giant has signed up to provide manufacturing and repair services to the oil and gas industry through a workshop and is involved in a project to supply cutting-edge technologies to Qatar’s first Passsivhaus experiment.

And to capitalise on requirements in connection with the 2022 FIFA soccer World Cup, Siemens has put in place a Programme Office that showcases its integrated technologies.

Siemens is building the Middle East’s most energy-efficient tram system in Doha. The turnkey contract was awarded to Siemens Infrastructure and Cities Sector in 2012 by Qatar Foundation and includes supplying 19 Avenio trams that will operate without overhead contact lines.

Siemens’ smart metering project is the first of its kind in the Middle East

In addition to the vehicles, Siemens will deliver signal and communication technology and the rail electrification system and equip a depot under the contract valued at more than 100 million euros ($132.8 million). The trams are scheduled to start running from fall 2015 on an 11.5 km track with 25 stations. The tramcars will be equipped with an energy storage system from Siemens, which will be recharged at the stations even on the shortest stops.

Their sophisticated technology will allow the trams to be up to 30 per cent more efficient than conventional systems, as used energy can be reused by recovering braking power. The cars will be adapted to cope with the extreme climatic conditions in the region where temperatures in the summer can exceed 50 degrees Celsius. A powerful air-conditioning system and special insulation on the roof will provide protection from the harsh sun and the high outdoor temperatures.

“Siemens has supported the development of Qatar’s infrastructure since 1970 and is furthering its commitment to the country’s future goals by supplying it with innovative and environmentally-friendly technologies,” said Bernhard Fonseka, CEO of Siemens WLL Qatar.

In an effort to manage customer demand for water and electricity during peak periods and improve the billing process with end-users, Siemens is installing approximately 17,000 smart meters and supplying communication modules for 15,000 water meters in Doha. The smart metering project is the first of its kind in the Middle East, paving the way for broader implementation of smart-grid solutions in the region.

A rendering of the Avenio tram for Qatar Foundation

POWER TRANSMISSION
Siemens is working on a project that will improve the power infrastructure in and around Doha, and enable the monitoring and optimisation of energy consumption. Under a contract of $188 million, awarded by Kahramaa, Siemens will supply equipment for Phase 10 of the Qatar Power Transmission System Expansion project that will ensure uninterrupted power supplies to households, business centres, shopping malls, hospitals and schools in Doha.

QAPCO, QATAR STEEL DEALS
Siemens won two contracts from Qapco this year. The first agreement includes the supply and installation of new switchgear and integrated power management hardware and software at the company’s facility in Mesaieed in Qatar. The contract, which is on a turnkey basis, will see Siemens provide 33 Kv gas-insulated switchgear, and 11 kV and 3.3 kV air-insulated switchgear to the Qapco facility’s substation, replacing existing installations with more compact, higher-rated technology and boosting the reliability of the network’s power distribution. 

Under the second contract, Siemens will supply a wet air oxidation system, a wastewater treatment solution, to Qapco, one of the Middle East region’s leading companies in producing and supplying ethylene. The Zimpro Wet Air Oxidation (WAO) system, used primarily for the treatment of high-strength industrial wastewater streams, will be implemented as part of the expansion of Qapco’s ethylene plant in Mesaieed Industrial City in Qatar. It will provide Qapco with a higher level of wastewater treatment capability, while eliminating noxious spent caustic sulphide odours at the facility, which is expected to be operational in December, 2013.

Siemens will supply a turnkey solution to Qatar Steel to build a high-voltage substation. The 220/66/33-kilovolt (kV) substation will feature advanced technology and replace an existing facility within 14 months, ensuring more efficient and reliable power supply to Qatar Steel’s complex at Mesaieed Industrial City. The contract is valued at QR138 million ($38 million).

PASSIVHAUS
Siemens has supplied cutting-edge technologies to Qatar’s first Passivhaus experiment, which enhances energy-efficiency at residential units with the aim of creating more sustainable housing. The overall project, known as Baytna, targets a 50 per cent reduction in energy and water consumption and CO2 emissions in the Passivhaus villa during the project’s implementation period.

A model of an Avenio tram

The experiment, which started on April 22, 2013, uses two identical villas, one built conventionally and the other using green design and technologies, known as the Passivhaus villa. Both villas, located in Barwa City in Doha, will be occupied by the same number of residents who will move in after the completion of a six-month testing and commissioning period. Siemens has supplied the essential monitoring and metering equipment for this significant research project as well as fire detection systems and building management systems. Osram, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Siemens, provided energy-efficient lighting solutions and Bosch equipped the villa with energy-efficient white goods.

“Siemens is proud to be a key supplier of innovative technology to Qatar’s first Passivhaus, which aims to reduce energy use and increase awareness of efficient technologies and solutions to create a cleaner and greener environment,” said Joerg Scheifler, CEO of Siemens Infrastructure and Cities, Middle East. “The experiment supports Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and will help educate the public about energy efficiency, and subsequently assist them in reducing costs associated with power and water consumption.”

OTHER PROJECTS
Siemens has signed an agreement this year with Qatar-based Manweir, a provider of manufacturing and repair services to the oil and gas industry, to strengthen its local presence in the Gulf emirate and service its customers faster and better. The agreement enables Siemens to provide servicing for its clients in Qatar’s oil and gas sector at Manweir’s new workshop in Ras Laffan, an industrial hub 80 km north of Qatar’s capital city, Doha.

This year, Siemens established Programme Office World Cup 2022 in Doha to showcase the company’s large portfolio of integrated technologies for major sporting events and demonstrate how it can support Qatar’s preparations for the first FIFA World Cup in the Arab world. Siemens provides stadium and venue operators with a wide range of technologies, covering the entire spectrum of requirements to run successful sports events. These include transport and intelligent traffic management systems, lighting, energy, healthcare, fire and safety, smart grid, communications, building technologies, and district cooling.