By: Dr. Mohamed Alhaj, Founding Partner, Terra Advisory
As someone who had the privilege of contributing to the development of Qatar’s National Renewable Energy Strategy (QNRES), I’ve witnessed firsthand both the ambition behind the plan and the groundwork already laid to enable its success. The strategy, developed by the Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) in 2024, marks a critical shift in how Qatar envisions its energy future—a future that is cleaner, smarter, and more resilient.
The QNRES sets a clear target: increasing utility-scale renewable energy capacity to 4 GW by 2030 and achieving at least 200 MW of installed capacity at the distribution network. This ambition is underpinned by a projected electricity demand increase—from 51 TWh in 2021 to nearly 80 TWh by 2040—driven by economic growth and demographic shifts. Meeting this demand sustainably requires a fundamental rethinking of the country’s energy ecosystem. This doesn’t just mean more generation capacity – it also means robust network planning for grid resilience and stability.
From Vision to Action: Smart Grids, Digitalization, and Infrastructure Readiness
Kahramaa is already making bold moves on the electricity infrastructure. One of the most transformative steps is the nationwide rollout of smart electricity meters, completed by Kahramaa recently. These advanced meters empower consumers with real-time insights into their energy and water use, promote conservation, and utility service efficiency. About 50% of smart water meters have also been installed, with full deployment expected by 2027.
Backed by a robust digital backbone, these meters are now fully integrated into a streamlined customer experience—account transfers, billing, and usage monitoring can all be done online. This digitalization effort aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 and provides critical data infrastructure for managing distributed energy and time-of-use consumption patterns.
In parallel, the Billing and Customer Relationship Management (BCRM) transformation project—announced in 2020 (and expected to go live in 2025)—will further enhance customer services and operational efficiency. Together, these initiatives position Qatar as a regional leader in smart utility services.
Rethinking the Deployment Model: What’s Working and What Needs to Evolve
So far, Qatar’s large-scale solar deployment has largely been driven by QatarEnergy, notably through projects like the Siraj-1 project (800 MWp) (also known as Al-Kahrasaah project is Qatar’s first utility-scale solar project), the Mesaaid and Ras Lafaan Industrial Cities solar projects (875 MWp), and the recently announced 2 GW Dukhan project. Combined, these three projects will increase the installed solar capacity in Qatar to nearly 30% by 2030. These projects (with the exception of the Siraj-1 project) are implemented under an EPC model—rather than the more common IPP model seen globally.
At the distributed generation level, Kahramaa launched “BeSolar” – a national program that aims to encourage homeowners, businesses, government entities, and generally all customers to install grid-connected solar PV systems. Customers will be compensated for excess power exported to the grid under a net-billing mechanism. For customers with high electricity bills (such as government and commercial sector), this mechanism results in immense savings, in addition to reducing the carbon footprint.
Unlocking Market Value: Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
A major highlight of the QNRES is the anticipated rollout of a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) market, spearheaded by QatarEnergy. The strategy proposes leveraging the International REC (I-REC) standard, already widely adopted across the GCC and globally. Under this system, every MWh of renewable electricity generates a tradeable certificate—providing an additional revenue stream and enabling developers and companies to meet their sustainability commitments credibly. This could prove a game-changer for driving demand for renewables, particularly from multinational corporations with decarbonization targets.
Strengthening Local Ecosystems
Beyond infrastructure and policy, the strategy emphasizes the importance of localization and capability building. The pipeline for local EPCs, O&M providers, and technology startups in the renewable energy market remains limited.
To close this gap, the strategy calls for:
- Local content targets in solar tenders
- Low-cost financing for local developers
- Vocational training and certification programs
- A structured tendering approach to support small players
These interventions are key to ensuring that clean energy growth translates into local job creation, skill development, and entrepreneurial opportunity.
Looking Ahead: Partnership is the Missing Link
The QNRES is a serious and strategic roadmap for Qatar’s energy security . It is data-driven, practical, and grounded in the country’s unique resource profile and institutional strengths. But if there is one area where more effort is needed, it’s in activating the private sector as a co-leader, not just a stakeholder.
As we look to implement the next phase of the strategy—rolling out RECs, enabling new procurement models such as corporate PPAs, and upgrading codes and standards—public–private dialogue will be essential. And so will industry-academia partnerships, and a mindset shift that welcomes innovation alongside reliability. Moreover, localization goals of the QNRES can be met faster by aligning with QatarEnergy’s Tawteen Program – which is a unique model for maximizing in-country-value across the entire energy value chain in the country. The Energy and Environment Commission recently launched by The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Qatar, in collaboration with the Al-Attiyah Foundation is an excellent example of coalitions that represent the voice of the private sector and can play a key role in realizing Qatar’s renewable energy ambitions.
The vision is in place. The tools are coming together. Now is the time to collaborate boldly and turn ambition into shared success.
If you’re ready to shape the future of clean energy in Qatar—let’s connect.
