QatarEnergy Awards Contract For Two New Solar Plants

26 Aug 2022 Issue: 65 / 34 By: Megan Byrne

Weeks after starting up its first commercial scale solar plant, Qatar has awarded contracts for two new large-scale facilities and targets 1.675GW solar capacity by 2024 in a bid to reduce domestic pressure on its gas fields.

Qatar is a relative latecomer compared to neighboring Saudi Arabia and the UAE when it comes to renewable energy, but the emirate is now progressing at pace. State firm QatarEnergy has awarded contracts to build two new solar power plants, adding 875MW to the state’s current renewables capacity of 400MW. Notably, the two new plants are to be developed at the industrial cities of Mesaieed and Ras Laffan, home to Qatar’s key oil and gas facilities, in a bid to decarbonize operations there.

QatarEnergy selected Samsung C&T Corp for the engineering, procurement and construction contract on 23 August. Work is expected to start as soon as next month, with both solar plants set to be fully completed by November 2024. QatarEnergy puts the cost of the two facilities at QR2.3bn ($630mn). (CONTINUED - 781 WORDS)