Ongoing research initiatives, new project launches, and collaboration ventures, in addition to knowledge sharing sessions in clean energy, water, advanced materials and space systems technology will be the focus of Masdar Institute’s participation in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2017.
The week-long event is organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Anchored by the World Future Energy Summit (WFES), the ADSW 2017 program will feature a series of complementary events, conferences and exhibitions, including the International Water Summit (IWS); the Zayed Future Energy Prize award ceremony; the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) meetings, and EcoWASTE Exhibition.
Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, said: “Our professors, students and researchers have continued to apply advanced science to solve real-world challenges in the UAE and the world, to great success. We are proud to showcase some of the practical applications of these efforts at ADSW 2017 in areas of strategic importance like water desalination, space technology, aerospace, and energy storage, and we will be announcing agreements to embark on further collaborations to produce more exciting R&D to support a sustainable future.”
The Masdar Institute stand will comprise the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) ‘theater’ and an Innovation Zone with thematic centers focusing on energy, water, microsystems and smart technologies.
Several Masdar Institute research projects will be showcased at the Innovation Zone. The thematic area on energy will highlight a project using a novel system for molten salt storage of solar energy, which is a joint project with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a second joint project with MIT focused on developing a rechargeable flow battery, and a collaborative project with the UAE Ministry of Energy and SKM Air Conditioning that is focused on efficient cooling. A project leveraging graphene to improve water desalination membranes, a collaborative project with Emirates Steel and the UAE Ministry of Energy to convert steel waste into higher value products, and a project to develop ultra-lightweight foams with aerospace applications will be part of the iWater thematic area.
Projects to be featured at the microsystems area will include a collaborative undertaking with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment to monitor air quality, a project focused on developing devices for low power sensing and energy harvesting, a collaboration with Takreer to develop smart sensors for achieving greater efficiency in oil refinery reactors. The smart systems area will highlight a project focused on reducing Abu Dhabi’s heat island effect through modeling and simulation studies, a project aimed at joint-optimization of productivity, well-being and energy efficiency into smart building and smart city design and a collaborative project with Huawei focused on leveraging an Internet-of-Things (IoT) platform for smart city applications to demonstrated in Masdar City.
The YFEL theater will host global and regional professionals in energy and sustainability who will seek to encourage the students and youth to ensure the leadership of the future remains rooted in values that reflect a sustainable lifestyle. Masdar Institute faculty will also lead a number of knowledge exchange sessions including workshop[s and panel discussions on energy-efficient buildings, cloud-seeding materials, and Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) over the UAE.
ADSW visitors and guests also have the opportunity to visit the sustainable Masdar Institute campus, where they can learn about several key research platforms, like the Masdar Institute Solar Platform (MISP) and the Masdar Institute Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium’s (SBRC’s) Seawater and Energy Agricultural System (SEAS). The SEAS initiative seeks to address the food security issues of the UAE through cultivating seafood and biomass for fuel using desert lands irrigated by seawater.
Visitors can also learn about the green construction elements of the Masdar Institute campus, including key architectural elements, and an in-depth insight into the master planning, technology and sustainability features of the campus buildings.
Clarence Michael
News Writer
10 January 2017
