Samsung C&T to build two large-scale PV solar plants in Mesaieed and Ras Laffan Industries Cities, as Qatar builds a sustainable future for energy.

QatarEnergy has announced that its subsidiary, QatarEnergy Renewable Solutions, has awarded an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for its industrial cities solar power project (IC Solar) to Samsung C&T.

In a statement, QatarEnergy said the contract covers two large-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar plants to be built in Mesaieed Industrial City (MIC) and Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLIC). The plants are expected to start electricity production by the end of 2024.

Renewable energy projects in Qatar

This is the second utility-scale solar project in Qatar. Along with Al Kharsaa Solar PV Power Plant, which is currently under construction, the IC Solar project will increase Qatar’s renewable energy generation capacity to 1.675GW by 2024.

The approximately US$631.6m IC Solar project will result in direct emissions reduction of more than 28 million tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime. The output of both plants will contribute to the reduction of QatarEnergy’s GHG footprints from its facilities in RLIC and MIC, most notable its NFE and NFS LNG expansion projects, in addition to expanding grid capacity in other locations.

Renewable energy is essential for a sustainable future

Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said: "This IC Solar project is a major step in the implementation of our strategy to diversify Qatar’s energy resources and to increase the reliance on high-efficiency renewable energy, which is a cornerstone for a sustainable future.

“It also reaffirms our commitment towards delivery on QatarEnergy’s Sustainability Strategy and our mid-term target of having 5GW of solar generated power by 2035. It also gives me great pleasure that this landmark project marks the first investment for our newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary, QatarEnergy Renewable Solutions, which will invest in and hold all our renewables and other sustainable initiatives going forward.”

The project will utilise high-efficiency bifacial modules mounted on single-axis trackers as well as cleaning robots that will operate daily to minimise losses due to soiling by removing dust from the PV modules. This will maximise the additional energy yield produced by the bifacial modules.

The project’s power generation capacity is strategically distributed between the two main industrial cities in Qatar, MIC and RLIC. MIC will have a 417MW plant and RLIC will have a 458MW plant. The two plants will occupy a combined area of 10 square kilometres.