Qatar Joins IRENA's Global Atlas Initiative for Renewable Energy

Doha, December 04 (QNA) - Qatar on Tuesday joined the International Renewable Energy Agency's (IRENA) Global Atlas project for solar and wind energy, on the sidelines of the climate change conference (COP18), currently held in Doha. Qatar Petroleum's Director of Policy and Strategic Planning Issa Shaheen Al Ghanim, who signed the agreement, said Qatar's signing of the initiative proves its support for the world's renewable energy agenda and renewable and clean energy sources. Al Ghanim said the agreement will be another step forward for Qatar toward reducing carbon emissions, noting that this will pave the way for cooperation and exchanging information between Qatar's National Food Security Program (QNFSP) and the IRENA. He added the agreement will help strengthen cooperation between the two sides, as the program seeks to strengthen Qatar's capacity in solar energy in cooperation with IRENA, which opens the gate for investors in this area, provide an assessment and a better understanding of the feasibility of the project, and identify investment opportunities more clearly in order to ensure Qatar's positive contribution in global initiatives in this area. IRENA's Director General Adnan Amin has hailed Qatar's hosting of the COP18 and welcomed QNFSP's use of renewable energy sources in future projects. He also said that climate change negotiations remain a political necessity despite their slow progress. Amin noted that IRENA's Global Atlas initiative aims to provide the best abilities and practices for free on the Internet via partnerships with international organizations, adding that a huge technological and knowledge gap prevents several countries from enhancing their abilities with regard to renewable energy. He said launching the initiative shows commitment to bringing clean energy closer to the society and raising awareness about technological chances at disposal. QNFSP Chairman Fahad Bin Mohammed Al-Attiya said Qatar, which worked on turning its economy to be knowledge-based, is currently taking this transition into effect through a number of projects. He noted that the initiative will be essential and important not only in for the development of local projects but also for international investments, as it provides reliable data and identifies places where these resources can be used. He said that the program's policy for renewable energy strongly supports economic diversity and contributes to achieving the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to reduce the country's economic dependence on hydrocarbon resources, the development of environmental sustainability and the creation of a knowledge-based society. Qatar, which became a member of IRENA in 2010, will exchange information with IRINA in collaboration with QNFSP under this agreement, which will oversee the data, while newly-found Renewable Energy Administration at Qatar Petroleum's Policy and Strategic Planning Department will be responsible for the coordination of shared data. (QNA)