Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2023. The MoU aims to strengthen commercial, economic, and technical cooperation in energy and water efficiency, sustainability, and conservation and is in line with both parties’ endeavour to achieve Abu Dhabi’s long-term economic development.

The MoU was signed by Eng. Ahmed Al Falasi, Acting Executive Director of the Energy Efficiency Sector and NYUAD Director of Sustainability and Stewardship Antonios Vouloudis, in the presence of dignitaries from both parties.

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation and exchange of information and expertise between the DoE and NYUAD in capability development. It calls for scientific, technical, technological, legislative, and administrative cooperation in energy and water efficiency, sustainability, and conservation. They will jointly identify opportunities in Demand Side Management (DSM), energy and water efficiency, behavioural change, end-use consumption measurement, renewable energy, carbon footprint assessment, retrofits, energy and water resource issues, and clean energy certification.

Eng. Ahmed Al Falasi, Acting Executive Director of the Energy Efficiency Sector, said: “This agreement is in line with our goal of promoting energy and water efficiencies by encouraging new technologies and methodologies while nurturing consumer education and behavioural change.” He added: We are delighted to formalise our partnership with NYUAD and exchange knowledge and experiences to further develop advanced policies for the clean energy and water value chain. This is the first step in our joint efforts to enhance energy and water efficiency and aid our prevailing DSM and Energy Rationalisation Strategy 2030 and reduce consumption. It will further strengthen Abu Dhabi's position as a global hub for sustainability.”

Mariët Westermann, Vice Chancellor of NYUAD, added: "This Memorandum of Understanding between NYU Abu Dhabi and the Department of Energy underscores the strength of our relationship and our shared commitment to making meaningful and lasting contributions to the energy sector as we work together to develop innovative solutions and research to meet the future energy needs of the UAE and the world. It will enable us to collaborate closely on research and projects that will help advance the energy transition in the region, while also providing our students with valuable educational opportunities that will prepare them for a successful career in the evolving energy sector. We are grateful for the support of the Department of Energy and look forward to a productive and successful partnership."

NYUAD Director of Sustainability and Stewardship Antonios Vouloudis commented: “This MoU is a fantastic opportunity for NYUAD to collaborate closely with the Department of Energy on various energy and environmental-related initiatives including demand-side management, energy and water efficiency, behavioral change, among others. This partnership is key towards our efforts to achieve the vision of transforming the NYUAD campus into one of the most sustainable in the region.”

The DoE and NYUAD will share and mutually verify studies, data, and statistics on energy and water efficiencies and DSM, for their energy balance models and other analyses. They will promote training and capacity building, conduct pilot studies, and share data and models in the areas of behavioural change at the individual and societal levels to better implement program and policy development. They will peer-review documents in energy and water strategy, nudging, technology roadmaps and long-term scenarios. They will also design and implement training programs and exchange information about emerging opportunities.

The DoE and NYUAD MoU will have a duration of three years and is governed by the laws of the UAE.

-Ends-

About Abu Dhabi Department of Energy

Abu Dhabi Department of Energy was established in 2018 with a vision of powering Abu Dhabi's economy, sustaining its people, and protecting the environment. It enacts and develops policies, regulations, and strategies to support the emirate’s energy transition, develop its people capabilities, and create an efficient energy system. It protects consumers and minimises the sector's environmental impact while ensuring the availability of dependable, safe, and affordable energy and related services by harnessing the latest technology.

For more information, please visit doe.gov.ae or follow our social media channels for the latest news and updates.

Twitter: @abudhabidoe
Instagram: @abudhabidoe
LinkedIn: Department of Energy Abu Dhabi
YouTube: Department of Energy Abu Dhabi

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective program with majors in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, arts, and humanities with a world center for advanced research. Its campus enables students to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world, and to advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from some 120 countries and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

For media enquiries, please contact Acorn Strategy at prteam@acornstrategy.com