Siemens, the German electronics and electrical engineering equipment manufacturer, announced that had signed an agreement with Qatar University and Kahramaa to carry out a joint effort in the research and development of energy efficient systems.
The two year agreement is aimed at supporting the rapid development of Qatar’s infrastructure as it races to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. As such, Siemens will cooperate on a case-by-case basis with its two partners, carrying out R&D activities in the field of energy efficiency.
“I believe in strong cooperation with our local partners and offering our expertise to develop long-term relationships. This is part of our commitment to support Qatar’s infrastructure plans as it continues to enjoy rapid population and industry growth,” said Martin á Porta, CEO of Seimens WLL, the Qatari unit of Seimens AG.
“It is important for us as a corporation to make the effort of strengthening local competence by encouraging and enabling research, development and knowledge transfer,” he added.
As it steps up preparations for the World Cup, Qatar will invest around $60bn in infrastructure upgrades, including projects for the development of clean power supplies.
As such, each partner in the agreement will bring their respective expertise to bear on the projects undertaken, with the likes of Kahramaa, the local utility for water and power, providing input on power generation, transmission and distribution systems.
Specialists from Qatar University will also work in tandem with Kahramaa and Siemens, adding in their knowledge about the latest developments in the efficient systems industry.
Last year, Siemens signed up in a similar manner for a partnership with the Qatar Foundation. That agreement focused on the advancement of Qatar’s infrastructure capability and competence. This included the establishment of a service headquarters in the country for its regional power transmission and distribution business.