Qatar microgrid operation

Does Qatar have a microgrid?

However, solar is an excellent energy option in Qatar's sun-drenched desert climate. Eventually, QEERI found a farmer willing to host a test microgrid, especially since it would be designed and built by QEERI. Qatar farms mainly raise vegetables and livestock — sheep, goats, chickens and camels.

Is the QEERI desert farm a microgrid?

Wanik believes the QEERI desert farm system is one of the first microgrids in the Middle East. He began by modeling the project using HOMER Pro software to determine the optimal combination of generation resources, given the farm's load profile and the region's solar potential.

Why did QEERI create a business case for Microgrid research?

When QEERI created the original business case for microgrid research in Qatar, Wanik said they targeted the country's 1,300 desert farms. Most are off-grid and scattered in remote rural areas where constructing power lines would be prohibitively expensive, so he said these farms typically use diesel generators.

What are some innovative projects in Qatar?

He discussed his various innovative projects including a microgrid to power a desert farm and his experiments with microgrids in a desert test bed at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). Qatar currently ranks third in world gas reserves and 14th in oil production .