BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. A delegation from the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA), together with participants of the “Assessing the Reliability of Renewable Energy Sources in the Cooperation Council Countries” workshop, visited the Al-Kharsaah solar power plant this week, Trend reports.
Developed and operated by Siraj (1), a subsidiary of QatarEnergy Renewable Solutions, Al-Kharsaah is Qatar’s first solar power plant and has been supplying electricity to the national grid since June 2022. The 800-megawatt (MW) facility provided workshop participants with an opportunity to observe the latest technologies in operation, maintenance, and solar energy production.
Since the commissioning of Al-Kharsaah, QatarEnergy has expanded its renewable portfolio with the Ras Laffan and Mesaieed solar power plants, adding a combined 875 MW of capacity. Together, the facilities have boosted Qatar’s solar output to 1,675 MW. Construction is currently underway at the Dukhan solar power plant, which is set to double the country’s capacity to more than 4,000 MW once completed.
QatarEnergy Renewable Solutions, fully owned by QatarEnergy, was established in 2017 to finance, build, and operate solar facilities across the country. The company holds a 60% stake in Siraj (1), the developer of Al-Kharsaah.
The GCCIA, which oversees the electricity interconnection project among GCC member states, organized the workshop as part of its efforts to strengthen regional cooperation in renewable energy.