Qatar to build USD 500 m solar power plant

Mar 23, 2009 - Asia Pulse Data Source

Qatar is planning to build a major solar energy plant with an aim to generate at least 100 MW of solar power within five years, a news report said today.

Over USD 500 million will be invested by Qatar Foundation in a plant to make polysilicon, the much sought-after raw material for solar cells, a Gulf Times news report said.

The project will take two years and the hi-tech, modular plant is to be built in Europe by a leading manufacturer and put together in Qatar on site, Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) executive chairman Tidu Maini was quoted by the paper as saying.

"Plans are in the final stages for the polysilicon plant," Maini said. "What we will do in Qatar is to build a base facility, producing 3,000 tonnes a year, and we might go up to 12 tons later," he added. QSTP will also encourage its tenants Tata, Chevron, Shell, and Total, which are major players in solar, to collaborate with the country's companies emerging in the sector.