The first of photovoltaic solar panels have been installed in the first phase of the QR20bn Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD) project by Innovations Unlimited ME.
The roof-mounted photovoltaic modules will supply a portion of the electricity needs of the buildings within Phase 1  of the landmark development.
The buildings within phase 1A are being installed with 2,072 photovoltaic panels and 37 inverters, feeding a total of 463.4 kWp (kilowatts at peak power) of electricity and will feed directly into the electrical grid of the development, significantly reducing the buildings’ carbon emissions.
Photovoltaic solar panels use sunlight to generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect -the creation of an electric current within certain materials when those materials are exposed to the sun’s light. Solar panels are designed to capture this electricity so it can be harnessed.
Each year, the solar PV system will reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 568 metric tonnes which is equivalent to 241,000 litres of gasoline consumed.
Engineer Abdulla Hassan al- Mehshadi, chief executive officer at Msheireb Properties, said “Adopting advanced clean technology such as solar energy in addition to traditional methods of climate management is a hallmark of the Msheireb project which will have one of the largest concentrations of LEED-certified buildings in the world on completion.”
When the MDD is complete, the project will comprise 5,200 solar panels across a total of 8,400sq m of onsite energy production in the form of both electricity and hot water. The installation of the solar panels reflects Msheireb Properties’ ongoing commitment to sustainable development in line with Qatar’s National Vision for 2030.
Development of MDD, the world’s first sustainable regeneration of a downtown area in a major city is progressing well with infrastructure works now completed. Construction of the National Archive and the Heritage Quarter is on track to be completed this year.
Innovations Unlimited ME was established in 2009 and has its headquarters in Doha, with a branch office in Bahrain. The company provides innovative renewable energy products and services for both small and large scale projects.