Qatar's $1 Billion Solar Polysilicon Plant Supports Non-Hydrocarbons Diversification

---

Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Middle East's first polysilicon production plant will be built by Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) (Doha) in Ras Laffan Industrial City, in the northeast of Qatar. The 1.2 million-square-meter site for the plant was selected with a view to future expansion. It lies in the center of Qatar's LNG refineries and export complex.

The $1 billion plant will have the capacity to manufacture 8,000 tons of high-purity solar-grade polysilicon annually after it starts operation in the second half of 2013.

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the project was awarded to the Punj Lloyd Group (BSE:532693 ) (Gurgaon, India) in a competitive bidding process. The company has already worked on the execution of key EPC contracts for oil and gas projects in Qatar. The contract to deliver technology and equipment for the project was awarded to the German solar company centrotherm photovoltaics (ETR:CTN) (Blauberg, Gemany) in March 2010.

Working in parallel with Qatar's long-term sustainability strategy, QSTec is aiming to leverage the country's natural resources and advanced research facilities to manufacture and develop solar technologies locally that will benefit Qatar have a positive impact in protecting the global environment.

The CEO of QSTec, Dr Khalid K. Al Hajri, said that by utilizing Qatar's resources to make polysilicon, which in turn creates a variety of solar energy technologies and products, the company was helping the global transformation toward a more diversified mix of clean-energy solutions.

"In Qatar we have been blessed with energy both above and below ground. We have tapped the energy below the earth through our LNG exports, and now we are looking to the sun with a vision to tapping its unlimited potential," said Al Hajri. Such statements highlight the organization's commitment to support Qatar's transformation from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.

QSTec is a joint venture of Qatar Solar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (Doha); SolarWorld AG (ETR:SWV) (Bonn, Germany) and Qatar Development Bank (Doha).

This project marks the first major investment in the renewable energy sector made by Qatar Foundation.

For further information see September 28, 2011, article - Hydrocarbons, Industrial Diversification and Youth Create Strong Growth Mix in Changing Middle East.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.