As of 2022, Qatar has an estimated installed solar capacity of 824 MW, with the majority coming from utility-scale solar farms⁶, and is expected to reach about 1,700 megawatts by 2024.⁷

Qatar has ambitious plans to increase its solar capacity significantly, aiming to reach 4 GW by 2030.⁸ This target signifies Qatar’s commitment to diversifying its energy sources and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.⁹ By 2030, solar power is expected to reach 30 percent of Qatar’s total electricity production.¹⁰

• Solar: The average cost of solar electricity is estimated to be around 1.5 cents per kWh, with projections for it to decrease to around 1 cent per kWh by 2030.¹¹
• Natural Gas: Given its abundant natural gas reserves, Qatar’s power generation heavily relies on natural gas, which is relatively inexpensive. The average electricity price in Qatar in 2022 was approximately $40.26 per megawatt-hour (MWh), which is significantly lower than several other countries.¹²
• Wind: The cost of wind energy has also decreased significantly in recent years. In 2017, it cost around 5 cents per kWh, but by 2023, it dropped to about 4.5 cents per kWh. Projections suggest that the cost could further decrease to about 4 cents per kWh by 2030.¹¹

• Natural Gas: Natural gas accounts for the vast majority of electricity generation in Qatar, accounting for around 97.75% of the total.¹²
• Solar: Solar power is a rapidly growing sector, currently contributing approximately 2.04% to the total electricity generation.¹²
• Other Renewables: While solar is the dominant renewable source, other renewable sources like wind power are also being explored.¹³

In 2015, Kahramaa completed condition monitoring of 69% of its network, encompassing over 7,750 substations and 45,000 assets. The overall asset health index was a high 94%, indicating the distribution assets are in good condition.⁵

While specific data on residential solar installations remains unavailable, current adoption rates are very low among homeowners and businesses. A 2022 study pinpointed key challenges hindering wider deployment, including limited public awareness, high initial costs of solar systems, and regulatory hurdles.¹⁴

Qatar actually has a total of 7 solar system projects, including both installed and planned ones:

• 5 installed solar farms: These farms have a combined capacity of approximately 1GW.²⁸
• 2 planned solar farms: Qatar has plans for additional large-scale solar farms to achieve its target of 4 GW by 2030.⁸

• Current Demand: The off-grid solar market in Qatar is relatively small, primarily driven by remote areas and certain industrial applications. The current installed capacity is estimated to be around 5 MW.¹⁵
• Projected Demand: The off-grid solar market is projected to grow modestly, mainly focused on providing electricity to remote locations and supporting sustainable development initiatives.²⁷ Companies like Salzburg Trading And Contracting Services and Mutian offer high-efficiency off-grid solar inverters suitable for harsh environments.¹⁶

• Current Demand: The total confirmed grid-connected solar capacity in Qatar is at least 800.8MW, consisting of the 800kW Namkoo Solar system¹⁷ and the 800MW Al Kharsaah solar power project.³
• Projected Demand: Qatar wants more renewable energy, targeting 4GW of solar photovoltaic capacity by 2030. This will raise the share of renewables from 5% to 18%, with a focus on both large-scale projects and the mainly off-grid market.¹⁸

This list shows the average monthly salaries for various solar industry positions in Qatar. Roles are listed alongside their corresponding salary ranges.

• Solar Energy Systems Engineer: 14,083 QAR approximately $3,880 per month.¹⁹
• Solar Energy Installation Manager: 20,500 QAR approximately $5,650 per month.²⁰
• Other Solar Manufacturing Roles at Qatar Solar Technologies ²¹
  • Laboratory Technician: 7,407 – 12,963 QAR ($2,040 – $3,570) per month
  • Chemist: 9,478 QAR ($2,610) per month
  • Field Operator: 10,170 – 12,458 QAR ($2,800 – $3,430) per month
  • Instrument Technician: 12,963 QAR ($3,570) per month
  • Safety Engineer: 34,068 QAR ($9,370) per month

The population of Qatar is estimated to be around 2.7 million as of July 2024.²²

Factory Rent:

• Birkat Al Awamer: Renting a 1,000 sqm warehouse costs around $4,900, while a 2,000 sqm warehouse costs approximately $10,900 per month.³⁶
• Industrial Area: Smaller warehouses, such as a 550 sqm space, cost around $4,400 per month.³⁶

Electricity Costs:

• The average cost of electricity in Qatar from the utility company is approximately $0.032 per kWh for households and $0.036 per kWh for businesses.⁴

Water Costs:

• The tariff for water is around $1.21 per cubic meter for industrial purposes.³⁷

Mortgages and Financing:

The QCB Lending Interest Rate QCBLR is 6.25 percent.³⁸

Qatar’s energy sector is transforming. Once reliant solely on fossil fuels, it’s now embracing renewable energy, particularly solar power, for a more sustainable future.²³

Dominant Energy Source:

• Qatar boasts significant reserves of oil and natural gas, making them a cornerstone of its economy.²³
• Natural gas is the primary fuel used for domestic energy consumption within Qatar.

Solar Power on the Rise: 

• Qatar aims for a significant renewable energy contribution, targeting 18% of its energy needs to be met by solar power by 2030.¹¹
• Qatar’s abundant sunshine makes it a prime candidate for solar energy generation.
• The country has invested in large-scale solar power plants and established a solar technology company, demonstrating its commitment to this renewable source.

High Electricity Demand:

• Qatar experiences a high demand for electricity due to both industrial activity and household use.¹⁸

Sustainability Efforts:

• The increasing focus on solar power suggests a move towards a more sustainable energy production model with a potentially reduced carbon footprint.¹¹

Highly Reliable Grid:

• Qatar possesses a well-maintained and technologically advanced power transmission and distribution network.²⁴
• Kahramaa, the national water and electricity company, holds complete ownership of the transmission and distribution sector.²⁴
• The network employs a combination of overhead lines and cables to ensure efficient power delivery.²⁵

• Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy (QNRES): This strategy aims to increase and diversify the utilization of renewable energy sources, specifically solar energy.²⁶
• Regulations and Standards: Kahramaa has published regulations, standards, and specifications for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, including solar, ensuring quality assurance and safety for standalone solar PV systems.²⁷
• Balanced Approach: The QNRES emphasizes a balanced approach, combining large-scale renewable energy installations with high-efficiency thermal generation powered by natural gas, ensuring the transition to renewable energy does not compromise the reliability and resilience of the electricity system.²⁶

Qatar implements policies to support solar energy development, including:

• Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy (QNRES): This strategy aims to enhance renewable energy utilization, specifically solar energy.²⁶
• Investments in Solar Power Plants: Qatar has invested significantly in solar power plants, for instance, the Mesaieed Solar Power Plant and the Ras Laffan Solar Power Plant.²⁶
• Incentives and Support: Kahramaa promotes solar power adoption by introducing incentives for renewable energy programs.
• Renewable energy auction: This mechanism facilitates the development of solar projects through competitive bidding.²⁷
• Feed-in Tariff (FiT): The government offers a FiT scheme that provides a fixed price for electricity generated from solar PV systems, encouraging private investment in renewable energy.¹²
• Net Metering: Introduced in 2023, this allows consumers to sell excess electricity back to the grid, encouraging the adoption of solar systems.¹⁸
• Import tax incentives and VAT incentives: These measures aim to make solar technologies more affordable.¹²

Installed projects

Al-Kharsaah Solar Power Plant:

• Location: 80 km west of Doha, Qatar.
• Capacity: 800 MWp (installed solar capacity).
• Status: Operational since October 2022. This is the country’s first large-scale solar power plant, covering 1,000 hectares (equivalent to approximately 1,400 soccer fields). It integrates two million bifacial solar modules mounted on trackers, contributing to 10% of Qatar’s peak electricity demand and reducing CO₂ emissions by 26 million metric tons.²⁸

Qatar Foundation Solar PV Park:

• Location: Education City, Doha.
• Capacity: 1.68 MW.
• Status: Operational. This project was the first commercial PV project in Qatar to be granted approval for grid connection from Kahramaa.²⁸

Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) Solar Farm:

• Location: Al Khawr.
• Capacity: 1.10 MW.
• Status: Operational. This is a smaller-scale solar farm, likely providing power to the industrial city.²⁸

Qatar Student Housing Solar PV Park:

• Location: Unspecificed, likely within Education City, Doha.
• Capacity: 0.8 MW.
• Status: Operational. A smaller-scale solar project dedicated to powering student housing.²⁸

Projected Projects:

Mesaieed Solar Power Plant:

• Location: Mesaieed Industrial City.
• Capacity: 410 MW.
• Status: Planned. This solar power plant is part of Qatar’s renewable energy initiatives, planned to contribute significantly to the country’s solar capacity.²⁹

Ras Laffan Solar Power Plant:

• Location: Ras Laffan Industrial City.
• Capacity: 470 MW.
• Status: Planned. The Ras Laffan solar plant is another upcoming project aimed at enhancing Qatar’s sustainable energy portfolio.²⁹

Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec):

Founded in 2010, QSTec is a joint venture between Qatar Foundation, SolarWorld and the Qatar Development Bank, focusing on developing advanced solar technologies and manufacturing solar panels. They have completed a polysilicon plant in Ras Laffan, are constructing a 150 MW solar module manufacturing facility, and a 1.4 MW solar farm.³⁰

Qatar Foundation:

Established in 1995, Qatar Foundation promotes research, development, and deployment of solar energy solutions, possessing the largest pipeline of PV installations in Qatar, producing around 85% of the country’s total solar energy. They manage a smart grid and solar power generation monitoring via the Energy Monitoring Centre.³¹

Qatar Solar Energy (QSE):

Founded in 2009, QSE specializes in developing, manufacturing, and supplying solar panels, earning the distinction of being the first vertically integrated PV manufacturer in the MENA region. They conduct extensive research and development in the solar PV industry and supply solar panels both domestically and internationally.³²

Al Emadi Solar:

A 100% Qatari-owned company, Al Emadi Solar is a leading renewable energy company in Doha. They provide solar products and services, including thermal solutions.³³

Smartium Qatar:

Smartium is a supplier of crystalline solar PV modules and an integrator of solar PV systems. They collaborate with European technology providers to deliver high-quality solar solutions.³⁴

Salzburg Solar & Water Treatment Plant:

This Spanish-based supplier in Qatar offers high-quality European solar energy solutions with a 25-year warranty.³⁵