With its abundant solar energy resources, IPA Qatar said that Qatar is well positioned to take advantage of hydrogen production, which is essential to decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors. Moreover, Qatar’s low-cost electricity, rich natural gas resources and the establishment of a well-connected and efficient electricity grid set a solid foundation for hydrogen production.
The countrys integrated energy company, QatarEnergy, announced the construction of the world’s largest blue ammonia plant, expected to come online by 2026 and to produce 1.2 million tons per year. The USD 1 billion project also supports Qatars goal to develop its carbon capture and storage facilities to sequester up to 11 million tons of CO2 per year by 2035.
The study outlined that Qatar strives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve land and promote biodiversity to improve indoor air quality based on WHO guidelines. These efforts are reflected in the construction of Lusail City, the country’s flagship sustainable city, and the development of a renewable energy-powered metro rail transportation network.
Newly emerging hydrogen and renewable energy sources in the MENA region, along with international partnerships, are fueling growth potential in the cleantech industry, the study said, adding that Qatar’s actions to combat climate change and promote clean technology extend beyond national and regional boundaries. A few years ago, QatarEnergy and Royal Dutch Shell agreed to jointly invest in blue and green hydrogen projects in the UK. Likewise, QatarEnergys agreement with Korea’s Hydrogen Convergence Alliance (H2Korea) supports multilateral efforts to accelerate cooperation for hydrogen-related technologies worldwide.
IPA Qatar indicated that globally, over 80% of potential emissions reduction can be attributed to five primary technologies, namely Solar Power, Wind Power, Food Waste Technology, Green Hydrogen Production, and Alternative Foods/Low GHG Proteins. With innovation pushing for a larger share in the energy sector, wind and solar energy constituted a record 12% of global electricity generation last year, up from 10% in 2021. In tandem, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) tech is being developed to capture up to 90% of CO2 emissions from power plants and heavy industries, while IoT-connected devices are expected to reduce food waste by 20% in the next four years. Similarly, the development of green hydrogen can have profound implications for renewables with production costs projected to drop by 50% by 2030, and alternative low greenhouse gas (GHG) protein food sources are predicted to make up 11% of protein consumption by 2035.
Source: Qatar News Agency