Market Trends of Qatar Power Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Qatar Power Market according to our research experts:
Power Transmission and Distribution (T&D) Segment to Witness Significant Growth
- The transmission and distribution sector in the country is 100% owned by the state-owned organization, Kahramaa, a subsidiary of Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation. No private investment is allowed in this sector.
- Qatar has a well-established grid infrastructure that connects 100% of the population in the country. The transmission and distribution sector is witnessing a massive inflow of investments, mainly owing to the increasing power demand and developments in the power generation sector, which resulted in the need for new infrastructure, as well as upgradation of existing transmission and distribution infrastructure.
- The increasing demand for electricity in the country is expected to boost the expansion of the T&D network in new areas and demand centers across the country in the coming years. This, in turn, is expected to boost the market during the forecast period
- Moreover, with the growth of the industrial sector, particularly in the last five years, and increasing infrastructure development aimed at the FIFA World Cup 2022, the electricity demand in the past few years grown at a rate well over 7%. In order to meet this demand, the power generation sector witnessed significant capacity additions. During 2008-2018, the installed power generation capacity increased from 4,032 MW to 10,580 MW.
- Hence, during the forecast period, given the number of power generation projects under-construction and in-pipeline, the demand for the transmission and distribution infrastructure is expected to register a similar growth trend.
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Shift Towards Renewable Energy Sources to Drive Market
- In 2008, the Government of Qatar announced Qatar National Vision 2030 plan, aimed at the sustainable future development. The vision had set the target of achieving 2% of the electricity generation from the renewables by the end of 2022, and 20% of electricity generation from solar power by 2030.
- In line with this plan, several projects are under-construction/under-pipeline in the country. Some of such major projects are:
- Siraj Power, a state-owned company, is in the processing of selecting the EPC contractor through bidding for a 700 MW solar power plant to be built in Al Kharsa district. The 350 MW of the solar capacity from this plant is expected to be connected to the grid by the first quarter of 2021, and the rest 350 MW is estimated to be connected to the grid by the fourth quarter of 2021.
- Further, in January 2020, Total SA announced that it is going to build an 800 MW solar farm in Qatar. Upon commencement, this plant is expected to become the biggest solar power plant in the country. This solar farm is also Total SA's biggest solar power plant project to date.
- The renewable power generation is expected to drive the investments not only in the power generation sector, but also in the transmission and distribution sector. The renewable energy is an intermittent source of power and hence, can put extra pressure on the grid infrastructure. In order to handle the intermittency issues, the transmission & distribution infrastructure is expected to require the upgradation.
