Ebrima L Darboe, visiting research assistant at Qatar University Centre for Advanced Materials (QUCAM) from the University of Gambia
Doha, Qatar: A new research that aims to store renewable energy produced by solar and wind using an electrolyser could prove groundbreaking for Qatar in the country’s mission to cut greenhouse emissions by 2030.
The research, presented by Ebrima L Darboe, a visiting research assistant at Qatar University Centre for Advanced Materials (QUCAM) from the University of Gambia, aims to transfer excess renewable energy through the electrolyser to make hydrogen, which can be put into a fuel cell for energy supply. Electrolysers use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen and are essential for producing low-emission hydrogen from renewable electricity.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sideline of a seminar titled, ‘A demand side management approach for the optimal design of standalone hybrid renewable energy-integrated battery and electrolyser system,’ Darboe said tapping renewable energy resources like the sun and the wind has been hindered by some issues like storage because the battery, which is the main storage device right now. These batteries have issues like self-discharge leakages and the inability to store charge for extended periods. Notably, Qatar’s current primary renewable energy sources are solar and waste-to-energy sources.
“The country aims to achieve carbon zero footprint by 2050. It would be a good option for them to explore (this research) because it will help them reduce carbon emissions. Secondly, it will also help supply power to remote areas without electricity. There are some challenges in taking energy to remote areas because the longer the transmission line, the more expensive it becomes. So, it means that renewable energy with this kind of system is key,” Darboe said.
He stressed that the research tries to mitigate fossil fuel emissions of greenhouse gases. Implementation of projects like this, there will be zero carbon emissions and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, which is the leading cause of climate change, Darboe added. The research will also help provide adequate energy for a standalone household energy supply, facilitate transmission to remote areas, and eliminate energy dumping.
According to him, Qatar and countries with abundant sunlight and relatively good wind speed can exploit the research. Qatar’s Al Kharsaah Solar PV Power Plant (KSPP) is an example of the country taking advantage of the abundant sunlight.
“When you implement this kind of project, there will be no power interruption at any given time by incorporating the electrolyser system with the batteries. This means that as energy is coming, once the batteries cannot store all the energy, it would be diverted to the electrolyser, which will produce it as hydrogen, and that can be later fed into the fuel cell and then continue the flow of energy.”
