The Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) recently hosted a high-level sustainable energy workshop, in partnership with the European Commission (EU) and the
British embassy Doha.
The event discussed two key technologies - “Carbon Dioxide Capture, Sequestration, and Reuse” and “Concentrated Solar Power to Produce Electricity or Hydrogen.” The topics reflect a joint commitment to the development of sustainable technologies in a concerted effort to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Participants at the workshop, comprising leading European and GCC scientists, presented ongoing research programmes and technological roadmaps to enhance the combined efforts of both regions.
The workshop expanded upon the progress, commitments, and recommendations of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21), representing an opportunity to identify common fields of research between the European and GCC scientific
communities.
This included the discussion of advanced technologies, which aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by either converting CO2 into chemical products or storing it in depleted oil and gas
reservoirs or saline aquifers.
The development of such advanced technologies does, however, require long-term investment in global research and development (R&D), as well as ongoing international
collaboration.
QNRF executive director Dr Abdul Sattar al-Taie said that the workshop was aligned with QNRF’s strategy to promote international collaboration, while also addressing Qatar’s grand challenges, which include energy security.
Dr Philippe Freyssinet, director of Energy and Environment at QNRF, observed that the workshop gave stakeholders an overview of some low carbon emission technologies research roadmaps, which will help build the collaboration in common fields of interest between the GCC and EU.
Adam Kulach, ambassador of the EU Delegation to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, emphasised, “Research and innovation has the potential to change everything, because without it, there is no
developmental progress.”
He added: “The GCC region has the capacity to become a global leader in the areas of ‘carbon capture and storage’ and ‘concentrated solar power’.
Dr Malak Hamdan, head of the UK’s Science and Innovation Network for the GCC, pointed out that the event brought together some of the top scientific minds from the UK, EU, and GCC to discuss the pressing subject of global warming, in a joint effort to find solutions to vital global challenges.
The workshop concluded with several recommendations to facilitate and improve
co-operation between EU and GCC research institutions.