SIEMENS

The eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula is one of the most inhospitable places on earth. It’s not uncommon for temperatures to climb to over 50 degrees Celsius in the summer, and the low annual precipitation of less than 100 mm per square meter makes this one of the world’s most arid regions. It’s therefore understandable that until a few decades ago the desert landscape was underdeveloped and highly dependent on trading, mainly in pearls and fish. But then the region began tapping into its oil and gas reserves, and today sheikdoms like Qatar have become famous for one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

There’s almost no better place on earth to observe the contrast between tradition and modernity than in Qatar. The “Pearl on the Gulf” is a sandy peninsula 180 kilometers long and 80 kilometers wide that stretches into the Arabian Sea to the south of Kuwait and Bahrain. The government has helped to preserve historical sites that showcase its traditional architecture and history. An example of this is Souq Waqif, which once served as a weekend trading bazaar for Bedouins selling fabrics, household items, perfumes, and spices, and was renovated in 2004. The dhows that dot the harbors also bear witness to the country’s history. These traditional wooden boats are taken out to sea in the morning by fishermen who are then treated to a view of the new Qatar – the imposing skyline of the West Bay district in the capital of Doha.

The hidden treasures of Qatar, which is less than one third the size of Switzerland, were revealed around 75 years ago, when the first petroleum deposits were discovered at the end of the 1930s. The extraction of this fossil resource has since become the economic backbone of the country and the engine of the extensive modernization of its government and economy. The country’s biggest source of wealth today is natural gas, which accounts for approximately 15 percent of global natural gas deposits, giving it the world’s third-largest conventional reserves. The country now generates almost 60 percent of its gross domestic product from fossil raw materials.

Increasing prosperity has also led to population growth in Qatar. Whereas fewer than 30,000 people lived in the country in 1950, the population today is about 1.9 million, of which 80 percent are foreigners. The population has grown 20 percent since 2008, and this growing number of people has led to rising demand for drinking water and electricity. However, economic and population growth are also a challenge to Qatar’s emergence, as the country’s energy consumption, which is covered mainly by fossil fuels, is increasing at a rate of 12 to 15 percent per year. A total of 70 percent of the energy produced in the extremely hot summer months is used just to cool buildings, and the country also has to operate energy-intensive seawater desalination facilities to ensure a sufficient supply of drinking water. Just about everybody drives a car in Qatar, which is not surprising, given that the public transport network is yet to be developed and due to harsh climatic conditions. The result, as the World Bank reports, is that Qatar has the highest per capita carbon dioxide emissions of any country – more than 40 tons per resident annually. By comparison, the United States has annual per capita CO₂ emissions of less than 20 tons; the equivalent figure for Germany is less than ten tons.

As a result, it seems understandable that global climate protection organizations and critics were surprised that Qatar, of all places, was chosen to host the COP18 UN Global Climate Change Conference, which ran from November 26 until December 7, 2012. The meeting brought together some 15,000 delegates from more than 190 countries for a discussion concerning the extension of the Kyoto Protocol.

The emirate is indeed looking at ways to implement environmentally sustainable solutions for its further development. In view of the finite reserves of petroleum and natural gas, many Middle Eastern countries are now interested in investing in renewable energy sources and improving environmental protection. In fact, the first steps toward a sustainable energy supply system are now paving the way for a post-petroleum and post-gas era. These steps focus equally on increasing the efficiency of power generation, distribution, and demand in buildings and transportation networks. “The mere fact that Qatar wanted to host the climate conference is an important signal that this region is looking to also become part of the global discussion of climate change and sustainability,” says Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Supporting Sustainability. Qatar has already formulated its goals in a development program known as Vision 2030, which calls for approximately $130 billion to be set aside over the next few years to implement measures that will create a sustainable future. Qatar is particularly interested in environmental factors such as biodiversity, water management, climate change, energy production, and air pollution.

The government has started some projects, for which Siemens is providing support. “Qatar’s interest in the sustainable development of its infrastructure is growing,” says Bernhard Fonseka, CEO of Siemens Qatar. “The focus here is on the energy and transport sectors; in other words, areas in which Siemens has a wealth of expertise and offers many solutions.” For example, Siemens will complete the installation of approximately 17,000 smart electricity meters in Doha by mid-2013. These devices make the reading and processing of data concerning power consumption in the grid more efficient, and also simplify billing procedures. The Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) wants to use these devices to test methods for managing energy demand in peak times and improving customer billing processes.

One of Doha’s landmarks – the Tornado Tower – is already demonstrating how buildings can significantly reduce their energy consumption without sacrificing anything in the way of comfort or functionality. A Siemens automation system allows all of the devices and equipment in the 52-story, 200-meter-high intelligent building to be flexibly monitored and controlled. The permanent monitoring of individual consumer devices has enabled a reduction in energy demand of at least 20 percent, which conserves resources and minimizes CO₂ emissions. “The Siemens system is a virtual master-of-all-trades,” says Bob Stow, Head Building Manager in the Tornado Tower. “It controls power distribution and consumption not only in climate systems and electrical equipment but also in safety and fire protection systems.”

Vision 2030 also involves plans to expand Qatar’s public transport network using Siemens technology. For example, in July 2012 Siemens was awarded a contract for the delivery of 19 Avenio streetcars that will add a very sustainable component to the country’s public transport network when they enter service in the fall of 2015. Among other things, the streetcars will recoup and then utilize their own braking energy.

Qatar showed just how seriously it takes the issue of public transport back in 2008, when the government initiated plans for the construction of an integrated rail system that will include four subway lines in Doha and a long-distance rail network for both passengers and freight. The subway lines are expected to be up and running by 2022 at the latest – just in time for the World Soccer Championship, an event that will once again focus the world’s attention on the emirate. Until then, Qatar will seek to realize the ambitious sustainability goals it has defined. One such goal is to keep the temperature in the soccer stadiums during the matches under 30 degrees Celsius using sustainable technologies that will include a combination of solar-paneled roofs that shade the stands and efficient air conditioning systems that run on solar energy. If these plans are successful, Qatar will be able to show the world that the Arabian desert and its wealth of raw materials can be both a luxurious and a sustainable venue, even when temperatures rise above 50 degrees Celsius in the summer.