Qatar's first solar power plant, built by Chinese companies, was put into operation on Tuesday, marking a milestone for the country in energy transition.

The 800MW Al Kharsaah Solar Power Plant, located in the desert area about 80 kilometers west of its capital Doha, is one of the largest in the Middle East.

With a total investment of $417 million, it is the first non-fossil fuel power station in the country endowed with petroleum and natural gas. 

As Qatar's first large-scale ground solar power plant connected to the grid at full capacity, the Al Kharsaah project can meet 10 percent of the country's peak electricity demand.

It significantly increases the proportion of renewable energy in the country's energy consumption, and contributes to reducing carbon emission. As the organizer of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar promises to host "the first carbon-neutral World Cup."

Stretching some 10 square kilometers, the plant has around two million solar panels to turn the region's rich photo-thermal resources into electricity.

The project, started in July 2020, was undertaken by a joint venture formed by three Chinese enterprises, which were mainly responsible for installing photovoltaic brackets and components, as well as building step-up transmission substations and grid connection stations.

Through technological innovation, the Chinese companies also managed to improve the plant's electricity generation capacity by 20 percent by using automated robotic arms to clean the panels.

"Chinese equipment was applied throughout the project's 800 MW photovoltaic area, which makes up more than 60 percent of the total investment,”said Li Jun, on-site construction manager of Al Kharsaah Solar Power Plant.

It has further expanded the presence of Chinese brands in the Middle East market, and set up good overseas reputations for Chinese companies, he added.