Qatar has announced two major solar projects that will more than double its renewable energy production within two years. Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi hailed the new development as an important step in efforts by the Gulf countries, one of the world's largest producers of liquefied natural gas, to increase their reliance on efficient renewable energy.

Qatar Energy said in a statement that the new plants in Mesaieed and Ras Laffan will bring Qatar's solar power capacity to 1.67 GW by the end of 2024. Mesaieed and RasLaffan are key bases for gas production in Qatar, which is also undergoing major expansion. South Korean conglomerate Samsung will lead the construction of the new solar power plant with an initial investment of more than $600 million, the statement said.

Qatar has announced a goal of 5 GW of solar capacity by 2035. Last month, the company connected the 800-megawatt Al-Kharsaah solar farm to its national energy grid.

Al-Kharsaah is expected to be fully operational before the World Cup kicks off on November 20. Organisers have used a huge solar power plant west of Doha to support claims that Qatar will host the first net-zero World Cup in which greenhouse gas emissions are offset by renewable energy. The desert sand on Al-Kharsaah's 2 million photovoltaic cells is cleaned daily by robots, and Qatar Energy said the two new farms will use the same system.Editor/XingWentao