Qatar 2022; A New Phase in Solar Development?

To say that many observers found the choice of Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup 'interesting' would be a deft bit of understatement. The Arab nation, with an area roughly the size of Connecticut and a population approximately the same as Nebraska didn't apparently have the strongest bid, leading to some very public statements by some indicating that there may have been more at play than the quality of the bid itself. Additionally, as a practical matter, all of the existing stadia that will be utilized for the event will require upgrades; most have yet to even be built. Finally, all of the facilities, whether existing or yet to be built, will require powerful air conditioning to combat summer temperatures which routinely soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

On the other hand, there are undoubtedly benefits to the selection. It will be the first foray for the event into the Arab world. It also fits in with FIFA's strategy of trying to use its showpiece to tap into growing markets for the game. Additionally, its funding is not in doubt as it is secured by petro dollars. Despite benefits, however, there remains a lingering sense that something about the process FIFA used for both 2022 and for Russia's successful 2018 bid doesn't quite pass the smell test.

Al-Wakrah Stadium...renovations are required, and questions about

the bidding process remain, but at least it will be carbon-neutral!

However, even as fans and pundits continue to question the motives of soccer's powers-that-be in the aftermath of last week's World Cup host announcements, there is at least one positive that may already be developing out of the otherwise puzzling choice of Qatar for 2022. According to Qatar's bid site:

All of the stadiums will harness the power of the suns rays to provide a cool environment for players and fans by converting solar energy into electricity that will then be used to cool both fans and players. When games are not taking place, the solar installations at the stadiums will export energy onto the power grid. During matches, the stadiums will draw energy from the grid. This is the basis for the stadiums’ carbon-neutrality...Along with the stadiums, we plan to make the cooling technologies we have developed available to other countries in hot climates, so that they too can host major sporting events.

There are two important takeaways in the statement. First, the planners intend to create a carbon-neutral environment based on solar power that will apparently be able to combat the hellish summer environment noted above. Second, they plan on sharing the technology to do so with other less-developed nations. This could be a very exciting development as many of the places with enough sun to make this strategy work also happen to be on the warmer side. Some of these nations also happen to be some of the poorest on earth. If all goes according to plan, the Qatari model could provide a blueprint for equatorial nations around the world to follow, whether it be for large-scale stadiums or more importantly, homes, factories and office buildings.

It is probably a fairly safe bet that the promise to utilize and share solar technology wasn't the determing factor in getting Qatar the World Cup. It is probably also a safe bet that it will do little to alleviate concerns over the bid process, even if it emerges that such concerns are not merely built on a mushy foundation of sour grapes. However, the very visible use of solar technology as a selling point for the bid and the resulting benefits which will come of it are undoubtedly strong positives that should be embraced by the solar community and developing markets alike.