The advantages and resources available for Qatar to integrate photovoltaics (PV) technology in the urban environment, allowing buildings to be converted from energy users to energy producers, was discussed at a workshop.
Titled “Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) technologies and their application to Qatar and the Mena Region”, the event was hosted by Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), a national research institute of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).
Architects and building engineers learnt how PV systems can be introduced in buildings with good design, structures and energy concepts, as well as how BIPV products can be multifunctional such as electricity generation, weather protection, heat insulation, sun protection, noise protection, modulation of daylight, and security.
BIPV are photovoltaic materials used to replace conventional building materials in parts of the building such as the roof, skylights, or facades. They are increasingly being incorporated into the construction of new buildings as a principal or auxiliary source of electrical power, although existing buildings may be retrofitted with similar technology.
A roundtable discussion on BIPV opportunities and needs in Qatar highlighted the challenge of promoting the use of solar energy in Qatar when the cost of energy in domestic buildings is free of charge for Qataris and subsidised for expats. It was noted that there is a big need for sustainability awareness, a task where Kahramaa’s Tarsheed programme is taking the lead.
Dr Ahmed Ennaoui, research director of the Solar Energy Group, QEERI explained: “Qatar’s desert environment poses unique challenges for PV; the dust and high temperatures decrease their efficiency, in addition, to the challenges of integrating solar energy to the grid.QEERI’s research addresses these issues, so collaborating with both local stakeholders and international experts in this field is vital to our success.”
The BIPV workshop  included research posters from local and international scientists.
The workshop concluded with a ceremony for the Young Contest Award, where five students from Hamad Bin Khalifa University and Qatar University received awards for their innovative projects in solar photovoltaics.