Solar energy can be tapped effectively to run major events such as the FIFA World Cup 2022, a Siemens official has said.
Speaking at the inaugural session of ‘Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) Technologies’, organised by Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Jan Schoenig, programme manager, Siemens Qatar, said that for events like FIFA World Cup 2022, there should be absolute energy security and reliability at all important venues and solar energy is a suitable solution.
He added: “Every country, hosting major events, has several challenges. Siemens has some answers to the challenges. Our core programme is energy management as we are in power generation projects. Building integrated photovoltaic system is one of them. It can be put on the stadium roofs. We have done it around the world. We did it in Nuremberg, one of the World Cup stadiums in 2006. It also minimises carbon footprint.”
The official said that Siemens has three solutions for energy challenges. “Energy management stations, grid connection and energy storage can solve many of the challenges in energy sector for such events. We have put energy management stations in our building management system. We have energy monitors in all our buildings. Through this we show how energy-efficient our building is working.”
As for the smart grid, Schoenig said that they have coined a new word ‘prosumer’. “We have a shift in this regard. It is not consumer anymore but producer and consumer at the same time and so the word prosumer. We are going to have a big fluctuation with the consumption and production. This needs to be balanced in the grid.”
According to Schoenig, storing energy is the next important thing. “Solar solutions can help in this regard. Lithium batteries are used to store energy. A big container can store several of them inside. We are using it for major events. This was used effectively for World Expo 2015 in Milan.”
“The exhibitors were not allowed to have diesel generators onsite and the storage container replaced the generators. This could avoid the noise and pollution emitted by the generators. The same can be applied in the upcoming events such as FIFA 2022,” he noted.
Schoenig pointed out that the Siemens Innovation Centre at Qatar Science and Technology Park developed several applications for a smart grid programme. “The ideas were generated here. We used it in Qatar and we are able to sell it in the market. It was a big success and we have other projects going on at the centre,” he added.