Innovative Solution

Renewable energy, solar power, seawater desalination, R.O., food security, water supply

technical

The State of Qatar has embarked on a programme, called “QATAR NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMME (QNFSP)”, for the development of indigenous agriculture production to improve food security for the population of the State. Any increased agricultural development will provoke a challenge to the water reserves. With depleting natural water reserves, and to meet agriculture’s voracious appetite for water, such a large quantity of water for the QNFSP programme has to be from Sea Water Desalination.

Considering the environmental impact due to the desalination of such a large quantity of water the most visionary aspect of the QNFSP is a program to develop the combined solar energy powered dedicated. Seawater desalination plants to produce the required water. By linking Solar energy, Seawater Desalination and Agriculture development to enhance food security and simultaneously augmenting the water security will allow Qatar to establish a global reference project for “green” agriculture policy for arid states worldwide. KAHRAMAAhas contracted for Engineering and Consultancy services to provide the required consultancy services to support and assist in its tasks for the Qatar National Food Security Program (QNFSP) effort to assure the provision of the required amount of water and electricity for agriculture purposes in Qatar.

The DNI conditions are quite good in Qatar since annual cumulative DNI would be higher than 2075 everywhere in Qatar whilst an area of 860 km2 in the South would have an annual DNI cumulative value greater than 2225 kWh/m2.

Different types of solar technologies were studied and CSP technology with the parabolic trough was selected for this project. After studying the various Solar & Desalination technology, the most suitable combination of CSP technology with the parabolic trough and MED-RO Hybrid Desalination process is selected for the implementation.

Qatar National Food Security Authority (QNFSP) is developing this solution. The task of identifying the best CSP-Desalination technology was given to Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA). Both QNFSP & KAHRAMAA are jointly initiating this project and QNFSP will be strategic in the implementation. The follow-up of this solution at the local level will be with QNFSP and will be decided further.

Stages 1 & 2 of the consultancy services have been complete. The CSP-MED/RO technologies have been identified as the most suitable technology for the production of water for food security. Also, the preliminary infrastructure requirement for both Water & Electricity including the Water storage facilities has been identified.

Currently the study of the solar potential available in Qatar is in progress.

Since the water requirement for agriculture is huge quantity, this solution will reduce the dependant of fossil fuel for the production of water from seawater desalination. Also, this will add to the water security of the State of Qatar as the excess water is aimed at storing in underground aquifers.

This solution is aimed at total elimination of using fossil fuel and thereby makes it full ‘green’ project which would become a role model project in the arid region.

-          Development in solar technology.

-          Development in heat storage system for the CSP

-          Reduction in the cost of Power & water production using the CSP-Desalination technology.

-          Improvement in RO technology especially with related to the development in membranes, etc

• This solution is very important for the arid regions specially the remote areas where no access to fresh water.
• The improvements would considerably reduce the specific cost of distillate produced by the optimized solar RO desalination system which could help the poor people in remote areas.
• With more research and focus on how to achieve more improvements this will help to reduce the environmental impacts of desalination system.

This technology can minimize the cost required to deliver the water to remote poor communities. 

Yes. DLR, ICARDA

Engr. Ali Saif Al Malki,

Director,

Water Networks Affairs,

Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA)

P.O. Box -41,

Doha,

Qatar.

Tel: +974- 44845998- 44845999

e-mail: aalmalki@km.com.qa