Qatar Railways Company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) to install 80MW of solar technology in its rail depot facility at Doha
According to the agreement, QSTec will help develop ground and rooftop-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) installations at the 3,000 sq km rail depot facility, located near the new Sheikh Hamad International Airport.
Qatar Railways Company officials stated that the company hopes to build one of the largest energy-efficient rail networks using sustainable energy and attain a four-star Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) rating.
Khalid K Al Hajri, chairman of QSTec, said, "This is a long-term agreement that demonstrates the essence of Qatar National Vision 2030. We look forward to working closely with Qatar Railways to develop sustainable solar energy solutions that meet their requirements for quality, reliability and exceptional service."
One of the key aspects of Qatar National Vision 2030 is the use of sustainable energy and energy efficient technologies, which would aid in achieving a high GSAS rating.
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Turki al-Subaie, managing director of Qatar Railways Company, said, "Qatar Railways places environment-friendly methods at the heart of the executive strategy of all its projects. This comes after the company conducted an intensive study to assess the possible environmental impact of the railway network projects, in order to ensure the protection of any affected environment.
"Solar energy development is one of the main green aspects of our project. Our strategic partnership with QSTec would help us improve the eco-friendly feature of the rail network adopting ?Green Building? regulations, which consist of efficiently using energy and water, by reducing waste and environmental degradation."
Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) is also building a 150MW solar module manufacturing facility and a 8,000 MT poly-silicon manufacturing plant in Qatar, added company officials.
