A new design for a smart, temperature-controlled, sustainable and energy-efficient air cargo container (cool dolly) system has been launched by the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, and Etihad Cargo, the fast-growing cargo division of the UAE flag carrier Etihad Airways.  

At present, international airports and ground-handling teams around the world employ transportation dollies that are diesel-powered with energy-intensive cooling units, which are expensive and do not meet all performance requirements.

Following the close collaboration between Masdar Institute and Etihad Cargo, the innovative new cool dolly is specifically designed to optimize the transportation of temperature-sensitive cargo which includes pharmaceuticals, livestock and perishables that need to be transferred between the aircraft to the storage compartments in the cargo warehouses, providing Etihad Cargo and the Abu Dhabi International Airport a unique competitive advantage over other destinations.

The new hybrid cool dolly design incorporates the use of innovative thermoelectric module technologies, modified compressor units, and custom-made power bank that can be attached to solar panels for recharging, ensuring that the temperature can be regulated to meet the needs of temperature-sensitive cargo, while minimizing power consumption.

The announcement was made on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) that is being organized as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week (ADSW) 2016 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC). Senior officials and faculty from Etihad Cargo and Masdar Institute including Dr Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice President of Research, Masdar Institute, and David Kerr, Vice President of Etihad Airways Cargo, attended the launch ceremony.  

Dr. Griffiths said: “We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with Etihad Airways in undertaking these research projects aimed at supporting their operations with novel solutions. Our research platform integrates energy and system engineering w in a manner that we believe can make a meaningful contribution in transport and logistics operations in the UAE and overseas.”

David Kerr said: “We are committed to providing our customers with innovative sustainably-designed cargo solutions and working with Masdar Institute has helped us enormously in developing a specialized temperature-controlled dolly that protects sensitive products from the heat and harsh weather conditions we sometimes face here in the UAE.”  

From Masdar Institute’s side, the research project is led by Dr. Sameh El Khatib, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Mohamed Omar, Professor, both of the Engineering Systems and Management Department, with Dr. Vinod Khadkikar, Associate Professor of Electrical Power Engineering. A team of researchers at Masdar Institute, led by Research Engineer Anas Fakhri and consisting of students – Hamda Al Mazroue, Noura Al Hassani, and Abdulla Al Shehhi – are handling the technical design and testing of the dolly. Pablo O. Brizzio, Etihad Airways Cargo’s Senior Innovation Manager, is working closely with the research team at Masdar Institute to develop a design that meets the technical requirements and operational constraints.  

Etihad Cargo Innovation Department is also collaborating with Masdar Institute on a number of other related research initiatives. These projects led by Dr Daniel Choi, Associate Professor Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute, include adapting new advanced shock protection material for cargo boxes, and testing advanced thermal reduction coatings for Etihad Cargo’s Equine Stables and equine transportation service.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
18 January 2016

A collaborative research program covering three innovative projects in graphene/2D materials was launched by Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and The University of Manchester, the largest single-site university in the UK and winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for preparing graphene and discovering its remarkable properties.  

The three projects covering composites, sensors and membranes, will be led by faculty members from both research institutions. The projects will respectively explore the development of novel low-density graphene-based foams for various engineering applications, inkjet-printed graphene micro-sensors for energy and defense applications, and graphene-enabled ion exchange membranes for desalination.

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms. Its unique structure – a repeating pattern of hexagons – lends it some unique characteristics. Among other attributes, it is said to be 200 times stronger than steel while being 1000 times lighter than a sheet of paper per unit area and possessing much better thermal and electrical conductivity than copper wire. These characteristics result in a material that has the power to transform energy, medicine, electronics, aerospace and many other sectors.  

The announcement was made by James Baker, Graphene Business Director, The University of Manchester, and Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice-President of Research, Masdar Institute, on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit, which is being organized as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week 2016 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC). Officials and faculty from The University of Manchester and Masdar Institute attended the ceremony that was hosted at the Masdar Institute pavilion.  

James Baker said, “Graphene has huge potential for applications in a large range of sectors, and we are delighted to be collaborating with The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology on these important areas of research.  

“The University of Manchester has more than 235 researchers working on graphene and 2D materials and many will now have the opportunity to further their research by working with Masdar.   

“Our partnership with Masdar Institute is crucial to the commercialization of graphene and we look forward to seeing ground-breaking research and into developing exciting applications with potential industrial partners as a result of this activity.”  

Dr Steve Griffiths said: “The collaboration with The University of Manchester reflects Masdar Institute’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s innovation agenda for establishing knowledge-based industries that leverage materials advances. The projects cover a wide spectrum of applications, in which both universities have expertise. We believe the research program being launched will yield benefits for the UAE’s economic and strategic goals and ultimately achieve global impact.”  

Faculty members from both institutions will lead the research projects. From Masdar Institute, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Dr. Rashid Abu Al Rub and Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering Dr. Ahmed Al Jaberi will be working with The University of Manchester’s Professor of Material Science Dr. Brian Derby and Lecturer in Structural Materials Dr. Suelen Barg. Their project seeks to develop novel low-density graphene-based nanocomposite foams for engineering applications that include energy.

Masdar Institute Assistant Professor of Microsystems Engineering Dr. Ibraheem Almansouri, Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, Dr. Amal Ghaferi, and Professor of Microsystems Engineering and Dr. Irfan Saadat are collaborating with University of Manchester Lecturer in Nanomaterials Dr. Aravind Vijayaraghavan, and Professor of Materials Chemistry Professor Michael Turner on a second project that seeks to develop inexpensive fabrication methods for sensor devices that can operate in challenging environments often associated with high temperature energy and military applications.  

The Principal Investigators for the membranes research project includes Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Dr. Linda Zou and Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Dr. Ahmed Al Hajaj from the Masdar Institute side, Dr. Gyorgy Szekely, Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, and Chemistry Professor Peter Budd, from The University of Manchester. This work aims to conduct a systematic study of the potential benefits of graphene-enabled ion exchange membranes for water desalination purposes.  

Meanwhile, work is progressing on schedule for the AED345 million (£60 million) Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) building being constructed as part of a collaboration between The University of Manchester and Masdar, and is set be completed by the end of 2017. The GEIC is partially funded by £15 million from the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF), £5 million from the Innovate UK and by £30 million from Masdar.

The GEIC is expected to accelerate the arrival of graphene products in the marketplace. Commercialization of graphene research has already begun from projects associated with the University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute, including graphene light-bulb and graphene RFID tags. Therefore, current research projects may ultimately be targets for commercialization in the GEIC when it is completed in 2017.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
20 January 2016

A team led by a Masdar Institute faculty member has been chosen as one of the three awardees of the inaugural UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science 2016 grant program.  

On behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the award was presented by His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State, UAE Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Change, and Chairman of Masdar, to Dr. Linda Zou, Professor, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, during a special ceremony organized as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week 2016.

Launched by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs of the UAE last year, and overseen by the UAE National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS), the inaugural cycle of the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science has awarded three grants totaling just under US$5 million (AED 11 million) for a three-year period to three projects aimed at increasing rainfall in arid and semi-arid countries like the UAE.  

Masdar Institute’s awarded proposal was selected out of 15 shortlisted project proposals. The project outcome is expected to help increase rainfall in the UAE and other arid or semi-arid regions. It will also position the UAE as the global leader in the science, technology and implementation of rain enhancement, and spur additional research partnerships globally.

Water is strategically important for the UAE as the country ranks among the world’s top 10 driest countries with annual average rainfall standing only around 78mm (three inches). According to the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water, the country has around 130 dams and levees with a storage capacity of about 120 million cubic metres to preserve rainwater that can help augment groundwater levels. The country also accounts for 14 per cent of the world’s desalinated water, and remains the second largest producer of desalinated water.

Alya Al Mazroui, Manager, UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, said “There is now an increasing imperative for countries to strengthen their water resilience by promoting research and development, investment in new technologies, more efficient resource conservation and effective international partnerships. Here in the UAE, we welcome such research and the application of new technologies to ensure that rain enhancement operations are more efficient and more productive, for the benefit of arid and semi-arid regions, and beyond.”  

Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice President of Research at Masdar Institute said: “Water is an area of strategic importance to the UAE and any rain-related research will remain highly relevant to the region. The award won by Prof. Zou signifies the extent of our commitment to finding solutions to challenges in strategic areas including water, and energy as well as advanced materials. Our research will continue to focus on bringing long-term benefits to the UAE and the region.”  

Prof.Zou’s project titled ‘Using nanotechnology to accelerate the water condensation nucleation and growth for rain enhancement,’ explores the use of nanotechnology to engineer particles that can serve as a nuclei for raindrop formation when used to seed clouds. 

This promises to achieve great impact on key aspects of cloud seeding, which include water condensation, collision-coalescence for warm clouds, and nucleation and crystal grow for colder clouds.  

Prof. Linda Zou said, “I am really pleased because my proposal has been selected as one of the awardees, and now I have a good opportunity to work on this exciting topic. I will start soon to recruit the suitable research staff and students, and kick-start the project.”  

Four international experts in the areas of nanotechnology, interfacial science, characterization, and cloud modelling will work together on this proposal. From Masdar Institute’s side, the team includes project leader and Principal Investigator Prof. Linda Zou, Co-Principal Investigator and Microscopy Facility Manager and Principal Research Scientist Dr. Mustapha Jouiad. The two international co-investigators are Professor Loh Kian Ping from the National University of Singapore and and Professor Mladjen Curic from the University of Belgrade.  

In April 2015, a total of 325 scientists and researchers affiliated with 151 organizations applied to participate in the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science. Applicants selected from 34 countries around the world cooperated on the submission of a total of 78 pre-proposals. In May, the program’s technical committee narrowed-down submissions to a shortlist of 15 research teams, which included Prof. Zou’s project.  

Prof. Zou explained: “The recognition of the value of this project is a step in the right direction to advance rain enhancement technology, particularly cloud seeding by cloud condensation nuclei, and create new knowledge, new data and most importantly, new cloud seeding materials which are more efficient in increasing rainfall in UAE and other arid and semi-arid regions.”

Clarence Michael
News Writer
20 January 2016

The Photovoltaic (PV) Performance Simulator, a web-based geographic information systems (GIS) tool for modelling and simulating the performance of utility-scale PV power stations in the UAE, was launched by Masdar Institute’s Research Center for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment (ReCREMA) on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2016.  

This is the first tool of its kind available for the solar PV industry in the UAE. The tool will be useful for solar plant developers and investors to simulate the performance of future plants with different solar technologies, allowing them to make better-informed choices regarding both the technology and location for future solar energy plants. This simulator is expected to also increase the knowledge about the UAE’s PV potential as well as investor confidence, thereby attracting more investors to its solar energy market.  

Initially, the tool will be publicly available for a limited period of time. However, after the initial period, full usage of all tool functions will be limited to subscribers. Masdar Institute Research Engineer Arttu Tuomiranta has led the development work for this simulator under the guidance of Dr. Hosni Ghedira, Director, ReCREMA.  

A demonstration of the tool’s functions and features was presented at WFES 2016, which is being organized from 18-21 January 2016 as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week (ADSW) 2016 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC). Officials from ReCREMA, Masdar Institute, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and solar industry stakeholders were present on the occasion.  

Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice President of Research, Masdar Institute, said: “This novel web-based GIS tool will help solar PV plant developers make optimal project sighting and technology selection choices. Solar PV project investors screening for commercial potential will benefit from the increased confidence in plant performance that this tool will provide. In this way, we believe the simulator developed at Masdar Institute’s ReCREMA will support the UAE’s renewable energy production goals.”  

The UAE PV Performance Simulator is based on locally-validated optical and thermal models as well as solar resource and meteorological databases previously developed for the UAE at ReCREMA. Based on user inputs on the user-specified area, timeframe, and plant design of interest, the tool generates plant designs for every site location. It also maps the spatial variability of performance indicators at various time-scale resolutions: monthly, daily and hourly. These indicators include the plant’s capacity factor, performance ratio, and yield over the timeframe of interest.

At present, there is no open-access tool available where the performance of a user-defined PV power station can be mapped. Most available tools produce only single site estimates, but no maps. Furthermore, ReCREMA has unique access to the ground measurements of irradiance, based on which the solar resource model has been tailored to the specific climate conditions of the UAE. Therefore, the accuracy of the UAE PV Performance Simulator can be expected to be better than the other (single site-based) tools which are not based on local ground-measured irradiance data. Moreover, the range of user inputs offered in this simulator is wider than what normally offered in other performance modelling tools.

Dr. Ghedira explained: “The UAE PV Performance Simulator that we have developed is relatively complex and runs on Masdar Institute servers. It is meant for the first steps of feasibility analysis of utility-scale power plant projects. Since it is based on calibration from local ground-measured irradiance data, it is highly accurate. This tool cannot be compared to existing tools that are based on simplistic PV performance models and satellite data.”

The plant design parameters that the user can specify comprise plant capacity, module type, mounting method, and ‘array-to-inverter’ loading ratio. In addition to the simulation of a single plant’s performance, the difference in performance between two designs can be mapped by this tool. The tool is also equipped with illustrators for the monthly profiles and complete time series generated for various ambient and plant performance variables such as global horizontal irradiance, cell temperature, and plant output, at a single site location over a specific timeframe.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
20 January 2016

A Masdar Institute faculty member will be leading a workshop on ‘Towards a Sustainable Lifestyle in the Gulf’, for which an open call has been issued for academic papers exploring social behavioral change tailored towards energy conservation and more sustainable lifestyle patterns in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

The workshop will be jointly directed by Dr. Elie Azar, Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering Systems and Management, Masdar Institute, and Dr. Mohamed Abdelraouf, Research Fellow, Environment Research Program, Gulf Research Center, Dubai. It will be held during the seventh annual Gulf Research Meeting hosted by the Gulf Research Center from 16-19 August, 2016 at the University of Cambridge, UK.

 

The call for papers from diverse disciplines including social sciences, engineering, psychology, economics, and policy-making is currently open and the deadline for abstract submission is 15 February 2016.

Potential topics for submissions include ‘Status of Sustainability Practices in Different Sectors in the Gulf’, ‘Barriers to More Sustainable Lifestyle Patterns,’ ‘Opportunities and Solutions,’ ‘Agents of Change Towards a Sustainable Transition,’ and ‘Sustainable Development Goals in the Gulf and Their Implications on Gulf Economics, Societies, and Environment,’

The workshop will also address the post-2015 development agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in New York.

Papers are being accepted from individuals, co-authors, and small group contributions depending on the topic and/or institution. Accepted papers will receive travel grants and may be selected for publishing in an edited book.

To submit an abstract or to register to attend, please visit www.gulfresearchmeeting.net. For more details on the workshop, click here.

For more information email Dr. Elie Azar, Masdar Institute (eazar@masdar.ac.ae) or Dr. Mohamed Abdelraouf, Gulf Research Center (mhdraouf@yahoo.com).

Clarence Michael
News Writer
28 January 2016

A Masdar Institute PhD student has been selected as a semi-finalist for the AED1-million UAE Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics Award for Good – an award that supports innovation in the key area of artificial intelligence and robotics. Winners will be announced during the Live Finals event, to be held from 5-6 February 2016, at Dubai Internet City.

The “Waterloop” intelligent wells project of Masdar Institute PhD student and MSc in Engineering Systems and Management graduate Reem Al Junaibi is one of 20 that have qualified to the semi-finals stage out of 664 submissions from 121 countries around the world.

Waterloop leverages artificial intelligence technologies to create intelligent wells that can sense and communicate vital information about the water from the wells in which the sensors are placed, including measurements of water levels and bacteria. Essentially, it is a machine that has the ability to learn and collect data about water, which it then communicates to help ensure the water’s quality and efficient use.

“The UAE AI and Robotics Award for Good competition is a place to try something that will push automation to a new dimension, which I believe is exactly what Waterloop is doing – it can use automation to transform the lives of millions of people around the world who currently rely on inadequate, unmonitored well water, by empowering them with a technology that constantly updates them on the quality of their water so they can make better informed decisions,” Al Junaibi said.

Sending a technician to monitor water wells in rural and isolated areas can be expensive, inconvenient and ineffective, making Waterloop a superior alternative to this outdated monitoring approach. The intelligent well will monitor the water more frequently and at a much lower cost than conventional methods, while also communicating this information directly to the people who need it, helping to safeguard the well-dependent community’s health and well-being.

The Waterloop-integrated intelligent well will also provide a digitized historic record of the well’s water quality and levels, among other parameters, which could prove to be extremely useful for future planning, as well as to understand population growth, agricultural practices, and health and sanitation issues.

“Sensors are a mature technology, but what we are doing is developing a sophisticated automated communication network that, when combined with the sensors, will be able to communicate the quality of water in real-time to the people who critically need that information, including the people who use the water, as well as water authorities, policy makers and investors who could use that information in different ways, such as for planning for future wells or to understand how much water a community consumes,” explained Al Junaibi. Waterloop was inspired by Al Junaibi’s PhD research, which is focused on issues of how automation will impact jobs and skill sets in the UAE.

Al Junaibi is one of ten semi-finalists for the category of National prize, which awards AED1,000,000 to a top finalist from the UAE. The International prize awards US$1,000,000 to one of ten semi-finalists who qualify for the international award sector.

The UAE AI and Robotics Award for Good rewards projects that leverage artificial intelligence and robotics technologies to offer the greatest benefit to humanity, while also demonstrating strong commercial potential.

Other semi-finalist projects for the National award include devices that can be implanted inside the human body to aid rehabilitation of the upper arm for stroke victims, a learning robot for children with autism, and a smart guidance system that will assist the blind in avoiding obstacles.

Erica Solomon
News and Features Writer
4 February 2016

The Emirates Energy Award has been awarded to Dr. Ibraheem Almansouri, Assistant Professor of Microsystems Engineering at Masdar Institute, for his novel research on advanced solar cells technology undertaken as part of his PhD studies. 

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, presented the award to Dr. Almansouri. His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy, Ahmed Buti Al Muhairabi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Energy, and other officials were also present at the ceremony. Organized every two years, the Emirates Energy Award 2014-2015 cycle recognized valuable projects and programs representing more than 112 entries from 12 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Photovoltaics (PV) panels, which turn direct solar irradiance into energy, are widespread but are still relatively inefficient compared to other forms of fossil-based energy. Dr. Almansouri’s research sought to identify new approaches for low cost but high-efficiency solar devices that use silicon well as other materials that when stacked convert a large portion of the solar spectrum into electrical power.

The award-winning project aimed to achieve this by replacing conventional multi-junction solar cell substrates with a crystalline silicon (c-Si) substrate, which offers substantial cost reduction. Dr. Almansouri’s research thesis was titled “Silicon Cells for Tandem Solar Cell Structures” and was selected out of 14 entries for the ‘Young Professional Energy’ category, which awards achievements relevant to energy management issues demonstrated by young professionals of less than 35 years of age. 

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, said: “We are very proud of Dr. Almansouri for winning the Emirates Energy Award. Solar energy remains one of the most promising types of renewable energy for our region and we are confident Dr. Almansouri’s further research will help the UAE and other countries meet their renewable energy targets.”

Dr. Almansouri said: “Beginning my professional career with one of the most prestigious regional prizes such as the Emirates Energy Award is truly exciting. I am really grateful to be part of the Emirates Energy Award legacy.”

His thesis advisors for the project included Dr. Gavin Conibeer, Deputy Director of the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, New South Wales, Australia, and Dr. Martin Green, a Scientia Professor at the University of New South Wales and Director of the Australian National Energy Agency (ARENA) supported Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, and editor-in-chief of the academic journal Progress in Photovoltaics.

Dr. Almansouri obtained his BSc in Electrical Engineering from the American University of Sharjah in 2008, after which he joined the Masdar Institute Fellowship Program to obtain his postgraduate qualifications. He received his MSc in Renewable Energy Management from the University of Freiburg in Germany. He went on to complete his PhD in Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering from Australia’s University of New South Wales in 2015.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
9 February 2016

Six research project proposals from Masdar Institute faculty have won the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) Award for Research Excellence (A2RE) 2015, a prize that includes funds totaling nearly AED 2 million.  

The selected research projects leverage the Institute’s strong research capabilities in advanced materials and nanotechnology for the development of novel solar systems, a sustainable desalination membrane, innovative sensors for orthopedic implants, a cost-effective method for hydrogen production and a tool for smart urban planning in Abu Dhabi.  

Dr Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, said, “Masdar Institute’s thriving culture for innovation continues to result in high-impact research that is relevant to the UAE’s greatest challenges. These awards from ADEC are a recognition of this fact, and we hope that they will inspire additional innovations amongst our researchers in the future.”  

A panel of external reviewers selected the six projects from Masdar Institute for their research quality and originality, feasibility of the proposals, relevance to strategic sectors, qualifications of the applicants, and human capital development. Masdar Institute submitted a total of 34 project proposals for the first cycle of the competition.

Each of the six proposed Masdar Institute projects that have been selected for the award will receive allocations totaling AED1.97 million to perform the proposed research projects.  

In its citation for the award, ADEC stated that “this is a major achievement for Masdar Institute, given the number of proposals received, the quality of the competition and the rigorous international peer review process to which the proposals were subjected.”

Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice President For Research, Masdar Institute, said: “Receiving six of the prestigious ADEC research awards reflects the significance and value of the Institute’s research in areas of strategic importance to Abu Dhabi, including energy, water and environment advanced materials. With support from government agencies like ADEC, Masdar Institute is able to help drive solutions to the region’s most pressing challenges through its interdisciplinary research capabilities.”  

The proposed research projects will be conducted under the supervision of two faculty members from Masdar Institute’s Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, including Professor Dr. Linda Zou and Assistant Professor Dr. Giovanni Palmisano, and four faculty members from the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department, including Associate Professor Dr. Matteo Chiesa and Assistant Professors Dr. Kumar Shanmugam, Dr. Rita Sousa and Dr. Adel Gougam.  

Clean energy production leveraging materials advancements is critically important to Abu Dhabi and thus, was a key focus area under the A2RE. Falling under this category, Dr. Palmisano’s project, titled “New composite nanomaterials based on graphene and doped titanium oxide for production of hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide and water decontamination,” aims to develop a sustainable, low-cost method of producing hydrogen, which can be used for fuel cells.  

In the area of solar energy, Dr. Chiesa’s project titled “Spectrum splitting module for cost-effective solar energy photovoltaic conversion,” aims to develop a solar system that can harness more energy from sunlight in a cost-effective way.  

Also on the topic of solar energy and with emphasis on advanced materials, Dr. Gougam’s project, titled “Transparency-switching materials for reactive sun tracking: CPV for the roof-top market,” explores the development of a light-weight, stationary concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system that can be mounted on rooftops.  

In the area of advanced materials and clean water production, Dr. Zou’s project titled “Towards novel green graphene membrane for water desalination,” seeks to develop a sustainable and low-cost method of creating efficient desalination membranes with graphene.  

In the area of advanced healthcare materials, Dr. Shanmugam’s project titled “Nanocomposite biomaterials for self-sensing orthopedic implants,” is aimed at developing self-sensing and damage tolerant nanocomposites for orthopedic implants.  

The final project, which will be led by Dr. Sousa and is titled “Natural Geologic Risk Assessment for Abu Dhabi,” will study the effects that rapid urban development has on Abu Dhabi’s natural landscape, and aims to develop a powerful tool for urban planning and construction in Abu Dhabi.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
08 February 2016

Several innovative research projects focusing on the UAE’s food, energy, and water sectors currently being undertaken at Masdar Institute will be featured at the Global Forum for Innovation in Agriculture (GFIA) 2016.  

Themed ‘Rethinking Global Food Security: Collaborative approaches to sustainable agriculture innovation,’ the GFIA 2016 will be held from 16-17 February at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC). As a ‘knowledge partner’ for the event, Masdar Institute will host relevant faculty and students at the Innovation Theater. More than 100 new innovative concepts are expected to be presented at GFIA 2016. The organizers of GFIA 2016 are also expected to arrange tours of Masdar Institute in addition to other sustainable locations in the UAE.  

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, said: “At the Global Forum for Innovation in Agriculture, which focuses on areas of strategic relevant to the UAE, we are pleased to showcase several new innovations in water and agriculture. We believe such events will help increase awareness about the importance of research and development at the nexus of food, water and energy in arid regions.”  

Masdar Institute projects that will be featured at the event include one on sustainable aquaculture through the use of microalgae as a food source, production of valuable chemical from locally grown plants, solutions for linking consumers with locally produced food, development of a demonstration  facility to sustainable produce  fuel, food and high value chemicals using only desert land and seawater, ecological assessment of mangrove growth in hyper-arid regions, and the use of nanotechnology for enhancing rainfall in arid and semi-arid regions.

Experts from Masdar Institute will be on-hand to share their experiences and insights at the event. Dr. Alejandro Ríos Galvan, Director, Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), will present a talk titled ‘Desert Farms Powering Clean, Alternative Fuel’ at the plenary theatre on ‘Aquaculture,’ citing the example of the Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS) project currently being constructed at Masdar Institute.  

Hosting more than 500 exhibitors of innovative technologies in agricultural-related fields, GFIA 2016 is expected to see an even greater number of attendees compared to last year’s 4,550 visitors from 85 countries. Speakers at the event will focus on products that can increase yields, save water, improve soil health, or protect the health of livestock.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
15 February 2016

A new participatory sensing mobile application called VehiSys that provides information on a car’s “distance-to-empty” and general fuel efficiency has been developed by a team of researchers at Masdar Institute. The mobile app, which is now available from the Google Play store, is an outcome of Masdar Institute’s strategic objective to leverage information science for energy applications in both buildings and transportation.

Dr. Sid Chi-Kin Chau, Assistant Professor of Computing and Information Science, is leading the development of VehiSys, along with his research engineer Sohan Dsouza and PhD student Chien-Ming Tseng. The project was initially funded by Masdar Institute’s Technology Innovation Program – a grant program developed with financial support from BP designed to help successfully support proof-of-concept development for faculty-led projects. 

Currently, the vehicle app is designed to collect and store data on an individual user’s phone, to help the user understand his/her fuel consumption. However, Dr. Chau hopes that the app will be adopted by corporate users to help manage fleets of vehicles, leveraging the participatory sensing aspect of VehiSys.

The participatory aspect of VehiSys makes it unique from other mobile applications that use data from a car’s computer to inform the driver about fuel consumption or other factors. While other apps typically inform drivers about their trips – including miles driven, miles per gallon and likely fuel costs – they consider data taken only from that one car’s computer.

“The VehiSys application will be able to read data from the car using a Bluetooth device that the driver will plug into the car’s computer. The device will send the information about the car, such as speed, RPM, fuel level, engine coolant temperature and air pressure, to a central server, while the phone will send information about the driver’s location. By combining the readings from the car and phone, the data will help determine the amount of fuel consumed on particular routes and determine which driving conditions and routes result in the best fuel economy for any given car,” Dsouza explained.

The drivers in a vehicle fleet that have the VehiSys application installed and bluetooth device enabled would be contributing their car’s data to the core of data being gathered and analyzed, which will ultimately be used to inform drivers on smarter, strategic, tactical and operational choices that will improve their car’s fuel economy.

“Fuel consumption is affected by different variables, such as driving behavior, vehicle models, average speed and traffic conditions. We want to determine which of these variables at certain times and locations lead to maximized fuel economy of vehicles,” Dr. Chau said. “This information would be extremely valuable to organizations that manage vehicle fleets,” he added.

VehiSys might advise drivers to slow or increase speed during certain portions of their journey, in order to maximize the car’s on-road fuel efficiency. It will know this from data collected from other cars that have driven in the same place, including factors that both positively and negatively affected various cars’ fuel efficiency while they drove on that route.

“Drivers don’t necessarily realize that slight changes in their driving behavior can make a big impact on their fuel economy. We’re hoping that through this application, we will provide drivers with a smarter method for estimating their fuel consumption, regardless of the type of car they drive,” Dsouza added.

Now available for public use from Google Play, VehiSys will begin providing information to drivers that choose to use the app about  about their driving behaviour and vehicle performance.

                                            

“We will be able to support more analysis with the data gathered. Right now though, our focus is on estimating distance-to-empty, or the amount of fuel a driver has before he has to fill up again,” Dsouza said. He also added that the app’s information can be applied to both gasoline and electric vehicles.

Finding innovative solutions that will benefit the UAE and wider world is a core tenet of Masdar Institute’s mandate to provide real world solutions to issues of sustainability. Through their participatory sensing vehicle app, Dr. Chau hopes to ultimately empower UAE drivers to make smarter driving choices that will potentially lead to less fuel consumption and less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

 Erica Solomon
News and Features Writer
16 February 2016

Masdar Institute and National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico — Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) — have signed an agreement to exchange graduate students to promote exchange of knowledge and expertise between the UAE and Mexico.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Excellency Enrique Pena Nieto, President of Mexico, on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit, held as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week 2016 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, and Enrique Cabrero Mendoza, Director General of CONACYT, signed the agreement on behalf of their organizations.

As per the agreement, a joint Masdar Institute-CONACYT Program will be established. The program will allow up to 10 Mexican students per year to study at Masdar Institute and will also allow fellowship visits to Masdar Institute up to six months for Mexican Master’s and Doctorate students. The agreement will also allow Masdar Institute fellowship visits to accredited Mexican universities for up to six months for Masdar Institute Master’s students and up to one year for Doctoral students.

Mexico has hundreds of universities and institutes, of which some 50 are included in the QS University Rankings: Latin America 2015, which lists the top 300 institutions in the region. Mexico’s highest ranked university, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), is ranked at 175th in the world and sixth in Latin America.

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost of Masdar Institute, said: “Masdar Institute is pleased to engage with Mexico’s CONACYT through this cooperative agreement, as exchange of students and ideas is an important activity of all world-class universities. I am confident the Masdar Institute-CONACYT Program will allow both parties to broaden the impact of their academic and research activities while also gaining access to diverse experiences, facilities and understanding.”

At present, Masdar Institute has a collaboration agreement with its founding partner, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Other international collaboration partners include the world’s top ranked research Chinese Tsinghua University, the Tokyo University in Japan, the Technical University of Dresden in Germany, the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) and University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

CONACYT is Mexico’s chief government body responsible for promoting of scientific and technological activities, establishing government policies regarding science and architecture, and granting scholarships for postgraduate studies. It works to advance the scientific development and technological modernization of Mexico by supporting high-level human resources, promoting and maintaining specific research projects, and disseminating scientific and technological information. As part of its activities the council grants scholarships to international students for graduate studies in Mexico, and for Mexican students to pursue their studies abroad.

Zarina Khan
Senior Editor
19 January 2016

Masdar Institute and Norwegian company EnergyNest AS have signed an agreement to further intensify research on the thermal energy storage (TES) pilot facility at the Masdar Institute Solar Platform (MISP).

The agreement paves the way for the partners to appoint support personnel and ensure round-the-clock operation of the TES pilot facility. Such continuous operation will help achieve thermal cycling milestones that are required for further analysis so that improvements could be introduced through upgrades. In addition, the charging and discharging of the storage over many cycles will strengthen the credibility of the technology amongst commercial customers.

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, and Dr. Christian Thiel, Chief Executive Officer, EnergyNest, signed the agreement. Others present on the occasion include Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice President for Research, Hamza Kazim, Vice President for Operations and Finance, and and Dr Nicolas Calvet, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and officials from both sides.

Dr. Al Yousuf said: “The agreement with EnergyNest to appoint support personnel further consolidates our efforts to lead research in solar energy technologies as directed by the UAE leadership. We believe the agreement will move the project to its next stage and expedite the process towards achieving sustainable solutions.”

Dr. Christian Thiel said, “We at EnergyNest are very pleased to continue our long-term relationship with Masdar Institute by extending and expanding our ongoing research collaboration efforts at our storage pilot at the Beam-down facility. We are very encouraged by the mission of Masdar Institute of bringing game-changing technologies to commercial maturity, and look forward to work together on that mission for energy storage.”

According to the agreement, EnergyNest will provide technical support funding for the team of seven engineers and technicians who will be working at the TES facility. The TES comprises two versions of the heat exchanger – Double-U (DU) and Pipe-in-Pipe (PiP) – which need to be long-term ‘cycled’ or tested. At present, only the DU module has been tested. Since the DU heat exchanger design is located closest to the EnergyNest commercial product, testing of this is being prioritized during 2016. The PiP module will be taken up later.

The support team has become necessary for EnergyNest to demonstrate its performance over many charge/discharge cycles, as, at present, there is no industrial benchmark for thermal energy storage systems to use as reference. Therefore, for a commercial TES with an expected lifetime of 30-plus years, it has become critically important for researchers to obtain as many cycles as possible within the shortest timeframe to demonstrate the technology’s stability and performance.

Dr. Calvet said: “According to our industrial partner EnergyNest, this system could be 30% to 70% cheaper than the conventional two-tank molten salt technology depending on the size of the storage. The pilot results are better than expected and now we need to confirm the results on a longer-term basis.”

In May 2015, Masdar Institute and EnergyNest successfully completed a comprehensive 2 x 500kWh EnergyNest-type TES project. Since then, performance analytics and operational data have been made available to industry and academia through scientific articles and published reports.

Developed by EnergyNest, the TES system stores energy from Masdar Institute’s “Beam-Down” solar power plant located within the campus. The pilot facility has successfully proved its technology to store large quantities of energy at unprecedented low cost.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
24 February 2016