Qatar National Food Security Programme’s mission is to develop and implement a comprehensive master plan to achieve food security in the state of Qatar.
The Situation
Qatar National Food Security Programme (QNFSP)’s mission is to develop and implement a comprehensive master plan to achieve food security in the state of Qatar. Its role, among others, is to coordinate policy pertaining to the various governmental and non-governmental Qatari institutions involved in the production, provision and regulation of water and food in the country. QNFSP’s goal is also to serve as a model to other dry land countries in the region, and globally, specifically in the use of renewable energy towards agricultural production.
The QNFSP works with a Task Force comprised of 17 departments and institutions from across the government and private sector.
The QNFSP required a high-level assessment of the existing renewable energy resources in Qatar in order to assess key aspect to implement renewable energy as part of the Programme and provide a master plan for renewable integration into the existing power network.
Approach
Advisian carried out a number of assessments, including:
Existing renewable resources assessment
- Current energy resource assessment, data comparison, methodology analyses methods for reducing uncertainty of energy sources and other renewable energy resource assessment available for use in Qatar
Solar technology assessment
- Full analysis of the main concentrating and photovoltaic solar technologies including description, technology development and current commercial status, and main advantages and disadvantages of each technology
- Solar technology comparison: solar technologies compared in terms of solar insolation, wind, efficiency, degradation, collector mounting and tracking, land use, site preparation and water utilisation
- Technologies cost analysis: main financial parameters, such as CAPEX, OPEX and LCOE, and analysis of potential cost reductions
- Overview of existing large-scale solar power projects: overview of existing solar thermal and photovoltaic projects worldwide and the main lessons learned for the more mature technologies used currently
Solar power integration into the existing power network in Qatar
- Overview of major renewable energy technologies
- Analysis of technical integration issues and examples of other country’s renewable technologies power networks
- Potential impacts on the existing power network
Solar park development concept
- Permitting process of a National Renewable Energy Plan and key regulatory issues associated with solar project implementation
- Incentive programs typically used in renewable energy plants
- Identification of key restrictions to be evaluated during the development of solar projects (e.g., interconnection agreements, use of land, use of water, regulatory issues, environmental issues, and interconnections/crossings with existing infrastructures)
- Provided the most relevant site selection criteria and high level site selection methodology
High-level overview of the large-scale solar powered desalination concepts that might be applicable in Qatar
- General review of the desalination technologies more broadly used worldwide and their combination with renewable energy sources;
- Identification of the key aspects, activities and milestones in the execution of PV and CSP solar projects, as required for the achievement of fully operational CSP and PV power plants
- Presentation of typical power generation profiles for 125 MW PV and CSP solar power plants, to prove a general concept on how to meet the energy demand of desalination plants with solar energy and issues to be considered
- Provision of background information on utility scale project development options including the process of selection and management of Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractors, an understanding of the supply chain, as well as presenting a general review of recent solar generation trends
Results
The analysis helped the QNFSP identify key aspects required for a roadmap for the implementation of renewable energy in support of the programme, as well as the most relevant steps to be followed to achieve its objectives.
Advisian successfully completed the entire study within a 6 week delivery time frame and the study served as the basis for QNFSP’s master plan development and the implementation of its ambitious National Programme.
