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Abu Dhabi-UAE - Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), the entity responsible for developing quality infrastructure and raising awareness on quality standards in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, has joined hands with Masdar Institute of Science and Technology to conduct research on the technical potential of renewable energy technologies that may be implemented in Abu Dhabi given its climatic conditions and availability of resources. In parallel, New York's Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs investigated policy tools that would encourage implementation of these technologies in Abu Dhabi.
The findings of the research will be published and shared with key government stakeholders.
Furthermore, the findings will be presented at the 10th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems currently underway in Dubrovnik, Croatia until October 3, under the theme 'Sustainability of Energy Production and Utilization in the Arabian Gulf'.
The scope of the research primarily includes solar energy, offshore wind power, as well as waste-to-energy to a lesser extent. The final published report will serve as a guideline and support the efforts of QCC and its stakeholders from various government entities to develop conformity schemes and related technical specifications for products and systems that use renewable energy and ensure their compliance with the standard requirements of Abu Dhabi emirate.
Sultan Saeed Al Mehairi, Director of Information Service and Engagement at QCC, said: "Abu Dhabi is currently pursuing an ambitious renewable energy program that is aligned with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) program. In keeping with this priority, QCC is committed to supporting the government's sustainability agenda with regard to renewable energy and energy efficiency through research, as well as the development of standards and conformity schemes and services.
"The continued decline in the cost of generating solar energy to levels below conventional fossil fuels has made it the preferred option for renewable electricity generation today. Large scale use of renewable energy has the potential to considerably reduce government spending on imported gas that is already prohibitively expensive, with costs only likely to continue their upward spiral in the future."
He added: "Our collaboration with Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and Columbia University will prepare the ground for the rapid adoption of renewable energy sources in the emirate through developing the required testing and certification tools to ensure their compliance to highest international standards."
Dr Steve Griffiths, Vice-President for Research and and Interim Associate Provost, Masdar Institute, said, "This partnership with QCC provides the information and analysis necessary for informed decision making regarding deployment of renewable energy technologies. We hope that this collaboration will have impact in the UAE and elsewhere in the region where decisions are being made about energy technologies most appropriate to meet growing demand.."
According to Dr Jens Ejbye Schmidt, Head, Institute Center for Energy (iEnergy), who was the principal investigator for this research at Masdar Institute, that Abu Dhabi's renewable energy (RE) 2020 target can be secured with commercially available technologies, based upon the techno-economic analysis. He added that the additional 1.4 GW (7% RE) can be shared with 35% solar photovoltaic, 30% wind-onshore, 10% wind-offshore, 5% concentrated solar power with storage, and 20% waste to energy.
The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council was established in 2009 to raise the quality of the emirate's exports and locally traded products, while protecting the interests of consumers and supporting the UAE's competitive economy. This is achieved through empowering regulators to establish and implement product safety, legal metrology and conformity schemes. QCC also sets guidelines and benchmarks to identify and verify that the products manufactured and traded in Abu Dhabi conform to the highest quality standards.
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About Masdar Institute
Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.
In collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute has developed an academic and research platform that articulates its mission and vision according to critical energy and sustainability challenges.
An important characteristic of Masdar Institute is its focus on complex real-world problems that require a multidisciplinary approach for the development of solutions from an integrated technology, systems and policy perspective. This multi-interdisciplinary and integrated approach is supported by the structure of its academic programs and by the emphasis placed on engaging external partners from industry, government, and other academic institutions in collaborative activities.
Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar's core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi's knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity's toughest challenges such as climate change.
Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.
Masdar Institute offers degrees in:
· MSc Engineering Systems and Management
· MSc Computing and Information Science
· MSc Materials Science and Engineering
· MSc Mechanical Engineering
· MSc Water and Environmental Engineering
· MSc Microsystems Engineering
· MSc Electrical Power Engineering
· MSc Chemical Engineering
· MSc Sustainable Critical Infrastructure
· PhD in Interdisciplinary Engineering
Please visit our website www.masdar.ac.ae/
For more information contact:
Name: Shaima Al Jarman
Director - Marketing & Communications
Public Affairs Department
Email: saljarman@masdar.ac.ae
Phone: +971 02 8109365
© Press Release 2015
