In order to enable the renewable energy sector to truly consolidate its successes, the various stakeholders must co-operate to address the challenges of continued cost reductions and energy storage, Dr Khalid Klefeekh al-Hajri, chairman and CEO of Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec), a member of Qatar Foundation, has said.
Delivering the keynote address at the Energy Security Summit 2016 in Berlin, Germany, he cited the example of the consortium formed by QSTec, and the two German companies, SolarWorld and Centrotherm, as a model of different organisations pooling together their intellectual prowess and physical assets to optimise benefits.
“Similar alliances ought to be formed to accelerate industry growth,” Dr al-Hajri stated in his address, entitled ‘Transition to Renewable Energy - Evolution, Not Revolution.’
The QSTec official described the global move from conventional to renewable sources of energy as a trend that was part of a consistent progression to meet the growing need for power in a reliable, sustainable and cost-effective way.
“The oil and gas industry has been collaborating together for years and has had tremendous success in reducing costs and improving efficiencies,” he said at the meeting held at the European School of Management and Technology.
Speaking to an audience that comprised members of the global business community, government officials, scientists and representatives of nongovernmental organisations, Dr al-Hajri said that in the solar industry, the number of installations increases remarkably as the costs of producing electricity reduces.
“As of 2015, the renewable energy sector growth accounts for more than half of all new power generation worldwide. It is projected that by 2040 the amount of energy produced from renewables will increase to 60%, with the solar energy sector having the majority share at 26%.”
Dr al-Hajri lauded the record investment in the international renewable energy sector in 2015, reaching $321bn globally.
He highlighted that last year, over 121 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity were installed across the world, setting a new record of achievement for this flourishing energy sector, with almost half of this coming from emerging markets.
Other notable speakers at the event included the German Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks and BP Europe CEO Michael Schmidt.
The conference was the fourth instalment of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Forum that brings together decision-makers from across the globe to discuss sustainable technologies and the achievement of a diversified energy supply.
It was hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.
QSTec is currently building an 8,000 metric ton per annum polysilicon (the key ingredient used in 90% of the world’s solar modules) facility in Ras Laffan Industrial City, in addition to being the largest private equity holder in the global solar company SolarWorld AG and owning 50% of the solar and semi-conductor manufacturing technology company, Centrotherm AG.
The plant is spread on a site of 1.2mn sq m and covers an area of half a million sq m.
Built on an area of 500,000sq m, the plant is set to be the largest solar facility in the region - with a pipe network of 200km and an electrical cable above 3,000km.
QSTec and its partners are the key solar technology suppliers for some of Qatar’s most iconic buildings and offer turnkey solar energy solutions.
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