HE Al-Attiyah: Preparing for the ‘post oil-era.’ PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed

By Peter Alagos
Business Reporter

Gulf countries such as Qatar should look towards solar power technology, with emphasis on conducting more research on alternative sources of energy, said HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, chairman of the Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development.
At the forum titled “The Oil Price Drop: Repercussions for Oil Exporters,” organised by the Arab Centre for Research & Policy Studies yesterday at the Ritz-Carlton Doha, al-Attiyah underscored the need for oil producers to prepare for what he described as the “post-oil era.”
Al-Attiyah, who spoke to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the forum, explained what he meant by the “post-oil era”: “Oil and gas are natural resources that could be depleted; one day it will all be gone, thus the need to prepare now. While it will take more than a hundred years before these resources are exhausted, we need to act now for the benefit of the next generation.”
“Oil producers should start planning what scenarios to take after oil and gas, especially in the fields of renewable energy. In other countries, they are utilising alternative sources of energy such as thermal, nuclear, or wind,” he explained.
Asked what type of renewable energy source is best for Qatar, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry said: “For Gulf countries, the best alternative source is solar energy.
“While I cannot guarantee you one day of rainfall in Qatar, I can assure you of 12 months of sunshine, which is why we have to keep looking for the best choice for us in terms of renewable energy. We do not want the next generation to blame us for not looking after their welfare.”
Al-Attiyah also expressed optimism that the current challenges being faced by Gulf countries in the field of solar technology like dust, harsh weather, and the high cost of producing solar panels “would be resolved by the continuous advancements in technology.”
On reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, al-Attiyah said the goal has always been on top of Qatar’s agenda, especially during his term as energy minister.
“It was during my time as Minister of Energy and Industry that I signed this project, which was part of Qatar Petroleum’s policy to put environmental protection on top of our agenda,” said al-Attiyah, referring to the $1bn Jetty Boil-off Gas Recovery (JBOG) project in Las Raffan.
He also noted that the JBOG project, touted as the “biggest environmental project in the world,” could be Qatar’s intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) during COP21, slated for November 30 to December 11 in Paris.
“For sure this is one of Qatar’s icons on how to improve efficiency and environmental strategies for our hydrocarbon industry,” he said.
Only recently, the JBOG recovery facility celebrated its first major milestone, marking its 1,000th loading on to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship, Rasheeda.