Qatar’s utility-scale solar drive is set to reshape the power generation mix, says GlobalData
Qatar is accelerating the roll-out of utility-scale solar photovoltaic systems as part of a national strategy to diversify its energy mix, reduce domestic gas consumption for power generation, and curb emissions intensity, whilst maintaining gas-fired generation as the cornerstone of system reliability. The push for solar power is expected to help increase the share of renewable energy in the country’s total power capacity from 12.0 per cent in 2025 to 25.9 per cent by 2035, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
GlobalData’s latest report, “Qatar Power Market Trends and Analysis by Capacity, Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Regulations, Key Players and Forecast to 2035,” reveals that Qatar’s installed power capacity will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2 per cent between 2025 and 2035. Solar PV will be the main driver of growth, expanding at a CAGR of 12.4% over the decade.
Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Qatar’s power sector is shifting from total reliance on natural gas towards a structured hybrid model. Driven by the Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy, the roll-out of major solar facilities such as Al Kharsaah and the recently commissioned plants at Ras Laffan and Mesaieed, alongside the large-scale Dukhan development, demonstrate substantial momentum in deploying low-cost clean generation across the peninsula.”
Despite rapid growth in solar power, natural gas will remain indispensable to the country’s electricity and water infrastructure. Combined-cycle gas turbines and cogeneration plants form the backbone of Qatar’s Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) fleet, providing both dispatchable power to meet extreme summer cooling demands and thermal energy for seawater desalination. Natural gas capacity will continue to expand in absolute terms, accounting for approximately 74 per cent of cumulative capacity in 2035.
Saibasan adds: “The combined generation of drinking water and electricity is a structural feature of Qatar’s utility system. Gas-fired IWPP facilities provide critical firming capacity to absorb large inflows of solar energy during midday hours whilst ensuring baseload water desalination. Expanding flexible gas generation and modernising grid management are essential prerequisites for accommodating the planned 4GW renewable target by 2030 without compromising system security.”
The policy landscape is centrally directed under the Third National Development Strategy and the Qatar National Vision 2030. Key initiatives include the Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy, carbon reduction pledges under the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and net-billing regulations introduced by Kahramaa for distributed generation. Meanwhile, Qatar continues to operate a single-buyer model, under which Kahramaa purchases electricity and desalinated water through long-term agreements, thereby minimising market risk for project developers and consortium partners.
Saibasan concludes: “Qatar is utilising its world-class solar irradiance and robust balance sheet to free up valuable volumes of natural gas for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export markets whilst decarbonising its domestic energy mix. Maintaining this pace will require continuing to align the integration of renewables with IWPP offtake commitments, meeting growing industrial demand, and maintaining high transmission reliability across the National Control Centre and regional GCC interconnection links.”
