Cost of installing one kilowatt of solar panel at homes is around QR 4,000

Published: 29 August 2024

Kahramaa official answers wide range of questions on recently launched BeSolar service

Qatar News Agency
Doha

The cost of installing solar energy systems by subscribers depends on a number of factors, including the size of the system, but the average cost of installing one kilowatt is around QR 4,000, which can decrease with the spread of the service and market competitiveness, Director of Production Planning and Business Development at Kahramaa Eng. Abdulrahman Ibrahim Al Baker, has said.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency, he explained that the launch of “BeSolar” service to install distributed solar energy systems aims at encouraging Kahramaa’s subscribers to install solar energy systems to enhance the diversity of energy sources in the country and produce 200 megawatts from distributed systems by 2030.

Asked whether this service can be implemented in all houses and residential apartments, Eng. Al Baker said that registration for this service is available to all Kahramaa subscribers, but to determine the technical and economic feasibility of each subscriber, several matters must be studied, including the availability of roof area and the current electricity consumption. Based on this study, which the subscriber can do himself or through a specialized company, he can determine whether he wishes to apply for this service or not.

Eng. Al Baker said the basic information about the service has been revealed on Kahramaa’s website and its social media platforms. The start of receiving applications from subscribers and the application mechanism will be announced soon.

The return on investment also depends on several factors such as the subscribers current electricity consumption, the subscriber category (government, commercial, residential, etc.), tariffs, the size and performance of the solar system, and financing terms. In general, subscribers with high consumption and who have a higher tariffs can expect to obtain a very good return on investment in solar energy systems, due to the application of the net billing mechanism, he explained.

Al Baker said that the electricity generated by the Photovoltaic (PV) system reduces the amount of energy consumed by the subscriber from the grid. If more energy is produced than consumed at any given time, the surplus will be exported to the grid. If more energy is exported than imported during the billing period (one month), the value of the billed electricity will be zero and the surplus electricity will be shown as a balance that can be carried over to the next billing period.

If more energy is produced than imported from the grid during several consecutive months, the balance will accumulate and be carried over to the following months, but the surplus amount cannot be carried over for more than 12 months.

Speaking on the effects of weather changes such as clouds, rain, wind and humidity on the “BeSolar” service, Eng. Al Baker indicated that solar energy systems, like other renewable energies, are affected by the weather.

For example, clouds and high humidity lead to a reduction in the production of electrical energy from solar panels.