World Finance: Climate change and renewable
energy are high on the international agenda.
The Middle East – the core of the planet's
sunbelt – is already engaging with this energy
transformation, diversifying into solar.
Helping meet this demand is Qatar Solar Technologies.
Its Chairman and CEO Dr Khalid K Al Hajri
joins me now.
Dr Al Hajri, what is the future of the solar
energy industry?
Dr Khalid K Al Hajri: There is a projection
that by 2040, 60 percent of the world's energy
needs will be met by renewable sources.
26 percent of that will be from solar.
The price of the solar industry is coming
down.
In fact, the price today, if you compare it
per megawatt used by cars, it's around $122/MW
using solar, and $118/MW with gas.
So you can see the gap is coming down.
Last year, 2015, was the first time when investment
in renewables and in solar went up, while
investment in oil and gas came down.
So that's how solar will help overcome some
of these challenges of climate change.
Qatar Solar Technologies will be laying the
foundation for the solar industry development
across the MENA region.
World Finance: You've made significant
investments in the photovoltaic businesses
Centrotherm and Solar World.
How does that position QSTech across the photovoltaic
value chain?
Dr Khalid K Al Hajri: One of our visions is
to be a globally leading integrated company.
Getting involved in Solar World, which is
the major producer of panels in Europe and
the US; and also Centrotherm, which is a general
combined technology provider with 95 percent
of the polysilicon marketshare worldwide,
and in semiconductors they have
45 percent of the market.
So with the three of us working together on
research and development, benefiting from
each of ours' experience, know-how and knowledge:
that also will be a huge force through the
use of Qatar's Science and Technology Park,
and the Qatar Foundation.
We think this will bring about a lot of improvements
in the solar industry across the globe.
And mainly we'll start in the MENA region.
World Finance: You've been building your own
polysilicon production plant – the first of
its kind in the Middle East –
tell me about that.
Dr Khalid K Al Hajri: We have 1.2 million
square metres.
One of our visions is to be a globally integrated
leading organisation in the solar industry.
And that land will accumulate
around 6.5 GW facilities,
from polysilicon up to panel production.
We're adopting a fairly strategic approach.
We're building a polysilicon plant, and by
the end of this year
it will be producing 8,000 tonnes.
That gives you around 1.3 GW.
And what we're doing there is, we are laying
the foundation for solar industry development
in the MENA region.
World Finance: So that puts you in a really
good position – especially with the recent
Paris agreements actually coming into force,
to drive forward the solar industry.
Dr Khalid K Al Hajri: Absolutely.
Because this is the first time, after COP21 in Paris,
that the governments have made a real commitment.
And now, whether they resist the future or
go along with it: there is no other option.
And we will be playing a major part
in promoting the government to achieve their
goals as set there.
World Finance: So what are they key challenges
that are facing solar players?
Dr Khalid K Al Hajri: In the solar industry
there are two challenges we have to overcome.
One, to bring the price down.
Two, the storage.
And that will come through research and development,
and dealing with Solar World, Centrotherm,
Qatar Solar Technologies through Qatar Science
and Technology Parks and the Qatar Foundation,
that really will make the platform for positive
contribution among this consortium for overcoming
these challenges.
And this is not only for the consortium – we'll
make it available for the rest of the solar
industry key players.
Actually, there is another, third challenge.
And that's the fragmentation of the industry.
The solar industry so far has been very fragmented.
And we need to work on this, to make it one
group, to exchange information between all
the producers and key players in the solar
industry to make it more competitive against
other sources of energy.
World Finance: Finally then, what does the
future hold for QSTech?
Dr Khalid K Al Hajri: The future – we would
like to be a globally integrated company, worldwide.
We have already started with our consortium
with Solar World and Centrotherm.
Two: we would like to work together for research
and development, and working simultaneously
as we are building our plant, and building
our name globally.
Thirdly, we will support the government in
achieving the goal set based on COP21.
World Finance: Dr Al Hajri, thank you very
much.
Dr Khalid K Al Hajri: I appreciate it so much,
thank you.
Thanks for watching. You can find out more about Qatar Solar Technologies at www.worldfinance.com.
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