Abu Dhabi-UAE: 27 June, 2012 – Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland, today announced they co-organized a two-day workshop to highlight the importance and relevance of the applications and benefits of clean energy and smart grids under the umbrella of intelligent urban energy systems.

The workshop, held from 10-11 June was the second in a series of events on the intelligent governance of urban systems. Titled ‘Clean Energy and Smart Grids in the Gulf: Potential and Applications’, the workshop on the first day covered smart grids, while the following day focused on clean energy.

Over 30 professionals including policy-makers, managers and academics from the region, covering expertise from the energy sector, intelligent systems, as well as policy and governance, attended the Abu Dhabi workshop. The event aimed at facilitating the creation of a community of experts in the management and governance of intelligent urban systems in the region and beyond.

Prof. Matthias Finger from EPFL, provided the welcome remarks, while Dr. Sgouris Sgouridis, Engineering Systems and Management program, Masdar Institute, and Prof. Peter Armstrong, Mechanical Engineering program, Masdar Institute, spoke about ‘Advances in Smart Grids Research’. They highlighted the potential benefits that smart infrastructures can bring to a hot climate arid region like the GCC. They also highlighted ongoing research at both Masdar Institute and EPFL and outlined how appropriate governance of these infrastructures can make clean and smart energy a reality. Corresponding research includes behavioural analysis of demand response to different incentive schemes, the potential of pre-cooling of buildings’ slabs for reducing peak hour cooling demand and the institutional structure necessary to implement smart grids successfully.

The ‘Challenges in Smart Grid Applications’ were debated by Osman Ahmed from Siemens, Tim Peck from IBM, and Dohyun Goh from the Global Green Growth Institute, Abu Dhabi. Smart-grids in cities as a means to improve the performance of urban energy systems were discussed among others. Various aspects of governance and regulation of smart grids, including likely paths for their development were also covered during the session.

Ramiz Alaileh of the Regulation and Supervision Bureau Abu Dhabi, Bruce Smith from Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), and Katarina Uherova Hasbani from Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, subsequently addressed the governance perspectives on smart grids and smart energies, highlighting the existing efforts at RSB, ADEWA, and DEWA to pilot and deploy smart metering in the region.

On the second day, Pierre Rossel of EPFL, Hannes Reinisch from PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Dr. Sgouris Sgouridis offered their perspectives on ‘Clean Energy and the Gulf Region’. The discussions covered clean energy for cities including microgrids in the urban network, technology comparisons and GCC-specific challenges. Other areas covered by the speakers included economic viability of clean energy technologies and energy storage, and governance and regulation of clean energy, including investments. A roundtable concluded the discussions of the day.

The workshop was aimed at identifying the challenges and the opportunities regarding the transition of urban systems towards cleaner energy practices. It also explored how intelligence, in particular the active use of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), can and already does contribute to cleaner urban energy practices. Participants also discussed how the governance of such intelligent urban energy systems can and must be improved. Finally, the participants also had the opportunity to visit the concrete renewable energy applications that are being piloted and implemented at Masdar City.

Dr. Sgouris Sgouridis said: “Smart grids hold the key to effective implementation of renewable energy and for managing the demand for energy especially during the resource-straining peak summer hours. Positive incentive schemes, where instead of pricing, smart-grid users are offered a benefit for curtailing their consumption at critical times could work well in the current tariff environment providing benefits for both the government that subsidizes energy consumption and the users. Professionals at the workshop analysed and identified both the technical and institutional areas that need to be focused on to implement such an intelligent system. We are confident the event offered ample insight for the participating professionals on the transition of urban systems towards cleaner energy practices.”

Dr. Matthias Finger said: “It became obvious, at the workshop, that technology and institutions must be considered together. The smart grid and smart energy technologies can only deploy their full potential if all the different actors, including the utilities, the regulators and the policy makers play their appropriate roles and are optimally coordinated. In other words, technological and institutional engineering are complementary and offer a unique potential for energy efficiency gains and reduced consumption.”

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced undergraduate interns will be offered an opportunity to develop simulations on the dynamics of power grid systems as part of the internship program this summer.

The project titled ‘MATLAB Simulation Development for Power Grid Systems Simulations’ is part of the internship programs that will be available to UAE national graduates or university seniors. A total of 17 UAE national graduates have been selected for the six-week summer internship program that opens on 1 July.

Working alongside a team of masters and post-doc researchers, undergraduate interns will learn to use MATLAB software – a very powerful, easy-to-learn technical computing language. They will also adapt or improve existing MATLAB simulation for a number of trial scenarios, expected to learn the underlying knowledge for that specific simulation, learn one aspect of power system simulation, for example, power flow analysis or economic dispatch and will report their results.

Prospective students majoring in Electrical Engineering are preferred, while those with Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science majors are accepted if the stream includes a course in electrical circuits and electronics. However, a first course in differential equations and linear algebra is mandatory, while previous of knowledge of a programming language like C++ or JAVA will be an added advantage.

Dr. Amro M. Farid, Assistant Professor — Engineering Systems & Management, Masdar Institute and Research Affiliate — MIT Technology Development, said: “At Masdar Institute, we endeavor to link the often theoretical topics learned during undergraduate engineering programs with the practical industrial challenges of today. Such a strategy creates a win-win for all; capitalizing on the already invested engineering education, delivering results that will benefit Abu Dhabi while highly engaging the interest and enthusiasm of young engineers working on the projects.

“In my laboratory, the Emirati interns will take their undergraduate knowledge of MATLAB and simulate the dynamics of power plants and transmissions systems. This work is fundamental to determining the reliability and cost-efficiency of our existing energy systems and we believe the students will capitalize on this opportunity and gain further academic benefits.”

University seniors and/or those graduating this year with science, engineering or computer science as major subjects were eligible to apply for the summer internship program.

The Masdar Institute summer internship program will conclude with an award ceremony honoring the most outstanding performers across more than 15 project options. Results obtained from the research will also be displayed for the specially invited guests and families of students during the ceremony.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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 of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced a research paper co-authored by one of its students has won the ‘Best Paper Award’ at the Pacific Asia Workshop on Intelligence and Security Informatics (PAISI) 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The first-ever paper by Mustafa Amir Faisal, a Computing and Information Science student at Masdar Institute, was selected the winner from among a total of 16 research papers that were presented at PAISI 2012. Mustafa’s paper won the award for its research innovation, potential significance, rigorousness of research methods, clear presentation, and relevance to the PAISI audience.

PAISI is one of the leading academic events in intelligence and security informatics in the Asia-Pacific region. The PAISI proceedings are published in the prestigious Lecture Notes in Computer Science series by academic publishing company Springer Verlag. Around 80% of PAISI’s participants are from academia and 20% from industry.

In his paper titled ‘Securing advanced metering infrastructure using intrusion detection system with data stream mining’, Mustafa proposes a general framework for intrusion detection in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in smart gird and the use of state-of-the-art data stream mining techniques to detect anomalous events, which mean possible intrusion attempts, in the AMI system.

Other contributors to the paper include Dr. Zeyar Aung, Assistant Professor, Masdar Institute, Prof. John Williams, Professor of Information Engineering at MIT’s Engineering Systems Division and Director of Auto-ID Lab, and Dr. Abel Sanchez, Executive Director of MIT’s Geospatial Data Center and a Lead Scientist/Software Architect of Auto-ID Lab.

Dr. Scott Kennedy, Associate Dean for Research, Masdar Institute, said: “Students and the faculty continue to mark their excellence by winning awards at international forums. The award for Mustafa Amir Faisal is another strong indicator for the profound levels of research work conducted and guided at Masdar Institute. In academia, the best paper awards in conferences and workshops are regarded as distinguished achievements. Winning such an award reiterates the fact that Masdar Institute’s research endeavors are well respected by the international research community, thereby bringing more acclaim to the Abu Dhabi-based institution.”

PAISI 2012 best paper award is based on the overall quality of the research work. The general criteria include novelty of research contribution, potential impact of research, soundness/correctness of methods and data, clarity of presentation, and relevance to the PAISI audience.

Dr. Zeyar Aung said: “To win the best paper award for one’s first publication is quite a rare achievement. This award can help boost Mustafa’s future research and academic career. Mustafa’s paper is significant for intrusion detection system (IDS) for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) because smart grids have become a global trend nowadays and AMIs are being deployed in many countries at a rapid pace. And IDS is very important for AMI security because it serves as the second line of defense, after the first line of defense mechanisms such as authentication, authorization, and access control, are compromised.”

Mustafa Amir Faisal said: “This is truly a momentous occasion for me as this is my first-ever research paper. But I have to thank my guides and co-authors for their contribution that has turned the paper a true winner among other presentations at PAISI 2012. Masdar Institute has directed me along the right path for my future and I am grateful to the institution, the MIT faculty and my peers. I believe the PAISI 2012 award has given me the right momentum to proceed further in my research work.”

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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 of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced Iman Ustadi, one of its First Year UAE national students, has started her six-week internship at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland as part of a student exchange and internship program for the summer.

At the same time, Paul Tait, a PhD student from the University of Edinburgh, will join the Masdar Institute group for his summer internship. The student exchange/internship program also marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Masdar Institute and University of Edinburgh in CO2 capture.

Dr Steve Griffith, Executive Director for Institute Initiatives, Masdar Institute, said: “The student exchange program between Masdar Institute and University of Edinburgh is the first step in a long-term collaboration and the work that the students will achieve this summer will be the starting point for larger collaboration projects. We see long-term potentials and believe these opportunities will materialize into real collaboration projects, bringing durable benefits to Abu Dhabi and the emirate’s knowledge and human capital building efforts.”

Supervised by Dr. Mohammed Abu Zahra, Chemical Engineering Program, Masdar Institute, Iman will work on the evaluation of the integrated Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) power plants with CO2 Capture. Iman will work closely with the team from the University of Edinburgh to study the Natural Gas market in Scotland, comparing it with the UAE market, and evaluate the effect of the CCS deployment on the demands in the NG market.

Iman’s project will study the effect of the implementation of CO2 capture processes on the NGCC power plant including the direct technical effect on the power plant efficiency, availability, gross electricity output and operational conditions. In addition, Iman will evaluate the effect of the CO2 capture implementation on the NG market and future demand. The internship will be part of her thesis work and she will be utilizing it to learn more from the interaction with the team from the University of Edinburgh.

On the other hand, Paul will carry out experimental work on CO2 capture solvent characterization. The findings of this student exchange/internship program will be jointly published and presented at a joint workshop that will be held later this year.

Dr. Mohammed Abu Zahra said: “Our aim is to have these strong connections with both academic and R&D institutions to give the chance for our students to spend some time at these institutions, learn and widen their knowledge and experience. Following Iman, we foresee more students to become part of this exchange/internship program in the coming months.”

Dr. Abu Zahra, who spearheaded the collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, is also exploring the option for more research and internship collaborations for carbon capture with other leading European and Asia-Pacific institutions.

Iman Ustadi said: “I am extremely pleased with the opportunity for doing an internship in the University of Edinburgh. Although it is my first days in Edinburgh, I have a strong belief in the valuable outcomes of this internship, which will widen my knowledge in carbon capture and storage, especially because currently, I am at the beginning stages of my research.

“While in Edinburgh, I am also keen to know more about what Scotland and other countries, similar to the UAE, think about the CCS technology and the significance of the measures they are implementing. During my internship here, I would like to get the most from the expertise that will offer valuable content for my research and help me register further progress.”

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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 of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced it joined stakeholders to mark its collaborative contribution to global sustainable development goals through the launch of the UAE Solar Atlas and driving discussions at the Rio+20 Summit in Brazil.

The delegation members from Masdar Institute including officials, faculty members and student members of the outreach initiative Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program engaged most of the nearly 120 heads of state and government, contributing to further the debate on sustainability, global environment and climate change. The Masdar Institute delegates participated in various panel discussions during the Summit that was held from 20-22 June.

Prior to the Summit, Masdar Institute delegates also participated in the ‘Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum: Innovation and Collaboration for the Future We Want’ that was held from 14-18 June, as well as the ‘Sustainable Development Dialogues’ that was organized from 16-19 June in Rio. The Rio+20 Summit additionally witnessed more than 500 on-site side events organized by governments, major groups, organizations from the UN system and other international organizations from 13-15 June during the preparatory committee (Prepcom-III) meetings.

The UAE pavilion that hosted Masdar Institute, Masdar and other Mubadala entities attracted several high-profile visitors during the summit. The pavilion proudly displayed the hourly/daily/yearly solar irradiance maps for the Solar Atlas that were produced by a robust satellite-based mapping tool developed and validated at the UAE Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment at Masdar Institute. An accurate assessment of the three solar irradiance components is expected to simulate the efficiency of available power generation technologies.

Dr Lamya N. Fawwaz, Executive Director, Public Affairs, Dr Steve Griffiths, Executive Director of Institute Initiatives, Masdar Institute, and other officials led the participation through interacting with government and industry leaders as well as participating in side panels. Representing the UAE Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment at Masdar Institute were Dr. Hosni Ghedira, Director, and Dr. Taha Ouarda, Deputy Director. The Research Centre continues to play a pivotal role in the development of a Global Atlas on Solar and Wind Energy.

Engaging stakeholders during a C3E event at the UAE Pavilion, Dr Lamya Fawwaz said that she facilitated the participation of two female students in the International Antarctica Expedition 2012 as part of Masdar Institute’s efforts to support and develop the leadership skills in the UAE and worldwide. Both students joined polar explorer Sir Robert Swan on his ‘Leadership on the Edge’ program, designed to build participants’ team and leadership skills and provide a suitable environment to debate key issues facing Antarctica and the planet at large.

Dr Fawwaz also pointed out that as a member of the Masdar Institute Women Advisory Committee, she has contributed to the decision-making process on sustainability and clean energy policy. The Committee advises the President of the Institute on areas that concern the community groups and reflects Masdar Institute’s commitment to the development and promotion of women’s leadership and empowerment. She also identified several measures that will facilitate the education and empowerment of women to lead the clean energy revolution.

Dr Griffiths led the discussions for a panel titled ‘Masdar Institute’s Role in Shaping the Future Energy Landscape’ on 21 June, while Dr. Ghedira participated as a member of the panel. With the support of the partners, they highlighted Masdar Institute’s successful global and local collaborations that have kept the Abu Dhabi-based research institution in the forefront of innovation.

Additionally, speaking at another session titled ‘Innovation in Green Growth Technology for Developing Countries’ on 19 June, Dr Griffiths elaborated on how Masdar fits into a philosophy of capacity building, innovation, and R&D. His talk addressed the major question with big demonstration projects that have always remained the pathways to generate long-term benefits. Masdar and Masdar Institute collectively address this question, at least in part, by generating a larger and sustained community, he said and put into perspectives the lessons learned and funding models derived from the Masdar experience. The session was organized by Brookings Institution of the US, the Institute for Energy Economics (IEE) at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) of South Korea.

Earlier, Dr. Taha Ouarda shared his insights with delegates on ‘Adapted Wind Resource Modeling in the GCC Region’. Dr. Taha Ouarda is also the Head of Water and Environmental Engineering program at Masdar Institute.

Mandated to offer the youth and students an avenue to engage energy industry leaders, the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program facilitated the participation of two Masdar Institute students – Maitha Al Kaabi and Rasha Abd Rabu – who showcased their research projects at the Summit. Other Masdar Institute officials including Ibrahim Alsharif, Research Assistant, with Event Officers Khaula Al Nuaimi and Shaikha Al Khayyal briefed visitors about various aspects of the research offerings and sustainable projects at the campus.

Speaking at the Women Leaders’ Forum on Gender Equality and the Empowerment Rasha Abd Rabu pointed out that women make up 65% of university graduates in the UAE, in addition to now being the majority of graduates in high school and college. She added that the though the numbers are increasing in almost all graduate schools especially in engineering, it has not resulted in higher female labor force participation, as currently women engineers and scientists make up just about 25%. She also emphasized that institutions and organizations need to provide support, networking, encouragement, and funding to women in engineering.

The intense participation by Masdar Institute once again reiterated the research-based institution’s commitment to furthering the cause of sustainability through contributing to the implementation of meaningful initiatives.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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 of Science and Technology, the Abu Dhabi-headquartered International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and other collaboration partners today jointly announced the official commissioning of the UAE Solar Atlas. The beta version of the Atlas was released earlier in April 2012.

The data on solar energy will be freely available online from early 2013 and can be accessed by government organizations or private enterprises for assessing the technical feasibility of any proposed renewable energy project. The data would also be fed into IRENA’s global geo-referenced renewable energy (RE) potentials database.

The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Rio+20 Earth Summit 2012 that is being held from 20-22 June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Six days of open-ended informal intercessional were also held in the build-up to the Summit, including the third and final Preparatory Meeting.

A delegation from Masdar Institute is actively participating in the summit as part of the overall Masdar initiative. Masdar Institute is part of the UAE Pavilion that also hosts Masdar and other Mubadala entities. The Solar Atlas is prominently displayed for the benefit of the visitors and stakeholders.

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Special Envoy for Energy & Climate Change, United Arab Emirates, and CEO of Masdar, said: “The official launch of the UAE Solar Atlas comes at a time when investment in solar energy is witnessing an uptrend. This multi-stakeholder initiative will immensely help investors to assess risks and commercial viability before implementing new solar energy projects. Masdar is proud to be part of this project that will provide further momentum to greater adoption of clean energy sources.”

Adnan Amin, Director-General of IRENA, said: “The official release of the UAE Solar Atlas at the Rio Summit signifies the remarkable commitment of the global partner organizations in bringing clean energy closer to the community. This Internet-based platform is designed to raise awareness of technology opportunities and serve as a repository for high quality renewable energy resource data, offering an avenue for those seeking to choose the solar energy route as part of their energy mix.”

Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said “The commissioning of the Solar Atlas ensures renewable energy markets regularly receive reliable and stable data on the annual solar irradiance. Such data can prove extremely valuable for deploying various technologies including roof or land area for photovoltaic cells. The MENA region offers abundant potential for tapping solar energy and we believe the UAE Solar Atlas, supported by the country’s leadership, will encourage other countries in the region to implement renewable energy projects in this part of the world.”

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken a leading role in initiating the national contribution to the IRENA Global Atlas Project. Other local stakeholders include the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), UAE National Center of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) and Masdar Power.

International partners in the IRENA Global Atlas initiative include the Energy Research Centre (ERC) of the UK, ParisTech (France), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of the US, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank.

Dr Steve Griffith, Executive Director of Institute Initiatives, Masdar Institute, pointed out that the UAE Solar Atlas is part of the Global Atlas for Solar and Wind Energy project and developed by Masdar Institute’s UAE Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment. Dr. Hosni Ghedira, Director of the Center, represents Masdar Institute, while Ali Nimer, Acting Director, Administration and Management Services, represents IRENA. A team of 12 researchers and engineers contributed to building profiles of solar and wind resource quality, land use, and grid connectivity in collaboration with local and international partners.

Dr. Hosni Ghedira said that the UAE Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment is mandated to develop the UAE solar and wind energy resource maps, in addition to developing regional knowledge and leadership in renewable energy assessment and mapping for the Arabian Peninsula and countries with similar climate, mainly in Africa.

A robust satellite-based solar mapping tool developed and validated at the Center was utilized for producing hourly/daily/yearly of three solar irradiance maps for the Solar Atlas. The accurate assessment of the three solar irradiance components helps to simulate the efficiency of available power generation technologies. An accurate assessment of the spatial distribution of solar resources, with detailed and bankable data for specific potential sites, is expected to help attract investments for creating new solar energy capacity.

Dr. Hosni Ghedira added that collaborating on capacity development among stakeholders in participating countries, as well as assisting developing countries to build their renewable energy technology databases were the other aspects.

The UAE Solar Atlas is the outcome of the agreement signed between Masdar Institute and IRENA. The agreement announced at the World Future Energy Summit 2012 in Abu Dhabi also covers exchange of information; joint implementation of project activities, analyses and research studies; as well as defining technical compatibility and methodological harmonization and data transparency protocols for solar and wind data.

For IRENA, the project is a model for its capacity-building activities in the developing world, and for augmenting its own capacity to generate and manage a global potentials atlas/database. The UAE Research Center for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment at Masdar Institute aims to develop regional knowledge and leadership with participation and data-sharing opportunities for IRENA and the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) member states. The UAE Atlas project set up a team to achieve two objectives – to collect and combine existing databases on wind and solar potentials in the UAE into one open web-portal platform from which solar and wind energy maps can be accessed; and train university students and researchers in solar/wind resource mapping, both to run data collection and analysis and to continue education of future participants.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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 of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, will continue to seek collaborations with global industry leaders to contribute to innovation and shape the future energy landscape, according to Dr Steve Griffiths, Executive Director of Institute Initiatives.

Dr Griffiths was offering a presentation during the panel discussions on ‘Masdar Institute’s Role in Shaping the Future Energy Landscape’ at the Rio+20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Organized by the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, the three-day Summit opened on 20 June. More than 50,000 representatives from governments, companies and environmental and lobby groups have convened to set new goals across seven core themes including food security, water and energy at the summit.

Masdar Institute currently has existing partnerships with global industry majors for research in sustainable biofuels for aviation, smart grids and smart buildings (SGSB), and carbon capture and storage (CSS), photovoltaics, microelectronics, industrial efficiency, and other technology domains.

The highlight of Masdar Institute’s collaboration project at Rio+20 Summit is the Global Solar and Wind Atlas, developed in partnership with various international and government organizations. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken a leading role in initiating the Global Atlas Project in the UAE on behalf of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Other local stakeholders include the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), UAE National Center of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) and Masdar Power.

International partners for the Atlas project include the Energy Research Centre (ERC) of the UK, ParisTech (France), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL of the US, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank.

Masdar Institute’s Research Center for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment has developed the unique resource for obtaining and disseminating mapping information for renewable energy in the UAE and globally. It has also pledged to develop the architecture of the global atlas, and host and maintain the atlas servers at the campus.

Dr Griffiths said: “The recipe for developing the future energy mix includes advancements to make renewable energy sources predictable, dispatchable, and available where needed. Also required is basic and applied research in science and engineering to improve existing technologies and uncover breakthroughs that change the technological landscape. The wide spectrum of our partnerships, including the Global Solar and Wind Atlas project, address these key issues and position Masdar Institute among the leading institutions focused on advancing the clean energy and advanced technology sectors. Masdar Institute’s high-caliber faculty serves as the driving force, facilitating and guiding student research. The faculty’s academic and research strength enables us to identify and lead research in key energy domains, making Masdar Institute a preferred institution to collaborate with on energy research.”

In addition to the partnerships for the Global Solar and Wind Atlas project, Masdar Institute is partnering with Masdar PV in thin-film photovoltaics research and The Boeing Co, Etihad Airways, Honeywell UOP and Safran on the sustainable biofuels project. The collaboration with Siemens covers an R&D program for Smart Grids, Smart Buildings (SGSB), and Carbon Capture and Storage (CSS) in form of scholarships and R&D funding.

A large-scale research program with Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) marks Masdar Institute’s local partnership to improve the efficiency and overall environmental performance of aluminum production. At the same time, collaboration with Technische Universität (TU) Dresdenin Germany is supported by the Saxony government in Germany and Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). The collaboration will establish research labs at TU Dresden and Masdar Institute focusing on three-dimensional chip stacking, a potentially faster and more energy efficient semiconductor technology.

Collaborations with Toyota Motor Corporation and IRENA have set the stage for scholarship programs that will benefit those eligible students who are keen on sustainable development and innovations in renewable energy.

Dr Griffiths added: “Our recent track record in human capital development indicates the extent of our reach in the high-technology industry and clean energy. The entire second batch of Masdar Institute students graduated in May 2012 having successfully defended Master’s degree theses dealing with topics of relevance to Abu Dhabi’s industrial and economic development. This was possible only because of the guidance provided by the faculty, who lead the student’s research efforts.”

Headed by Dr Griffiths, the Office of Institute Initiatives aims to maximize industry, government and academic relationships between Masdar Institute and world-class partners. University partnerships are with founding partner MIT and other universities that bring additional collaborative breadth. The office focuses on building new research partnerships with companies and agencies and then supporting the translation of the research discoveries into new inventions and eventually technological innovations that support industrial and economic development.

Currently, The Office of Institute Initiatives has successfully developed relationships with dozens of external entities leading to more than two dozen sponsored research contracts, 40% of which represent collaboration with local stakeholders. In addition to his role in establishing new external partnerships, Dr. Griffiths oversees the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Technology Transfer Office, and establishment of major research centers.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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.

The team of students from Masdar Institute of Science and Technology left Abu Dhabi to attend the two-week Practical Experience program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the US.

Led by Sara Al Muhairi, Director, Human Resources, Masdar Institute, the students will undergo the 11-day multidisciplinary, hands-on experience in scientific, technical, and societal themes in energy innovation. A collaborative program between Masdar Institute and MIT that runs for the second consecutive year, the Practical Experience program embraces intensive and challenging integrated energy systems and the students will focus on seven educational modules.

Organized from 18-28 June by the MIT Energy Initiative, MIT faculty members are offering the program that also includes campus tours, orientation, field trips and sightseeing around Boston and Cambridge. An ‘MIT energy research showcase’ and several networking dinners during the program are also scheduled for closer interaction among students from Masdar Institute with their peers at MIT. Course-related knowledge enhancement through visits to nearby industrial sites is another key component of the program.

The overall program is coordinated by Dr Vladimir Bulovic, Director of the Microsystems Technology Laboratory and the Organic and Nanostructured Electronics Laboratory, and Co-Director of the MIT-Eni Solar Frontiers Center. Dr Amy Glasmeier, Head of MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning, will lead the energy infrastructures module as well as the team project.

Additional faculty include Dr. Marc Balso, Dr. Steve Leeb and Dr. James Kirtley, all of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Dr. John Sterman of the Sloan School of Management; Dr. Jeffrey Grossman of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Dr. Leon Glicksman of the Departments of Architecture and Mechanical Engineering; and Dr. Robert Stoner, Associate Director of the MIT Energy Initiative

Established as an ongoing collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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.

Biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil (WCO) will help establish world class waste management systems, providing a platform for sustainable resource consumption. More importantly, it can bring down the five-to-six million tons of waste oil produced annually in Abu Dhabi, according to Rasha Abd Rabu, a Masdar Institute graduate and member of the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program.

Rasha Abd Rabu, Master’s graduate Mechanical Engineering and a Research Assistant at Waste to Energy Laboratory, Masdar Institute, showcased her project titled ‘Dual Chamber Tubular Reactor for Continuous Transesterification of Waste Cooking Oil’ at the Rio+20 Summit organized by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The event being held from 20-22 June in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil has gathered more than 50,000 participants from governments, companies and environmental and non-government groups to set new goals across seven core themes including food security, water and energy.

The YFEL member was one of the students in the delegation from Masdar Institute, participating in key events at the Summit in Brazil. Rasha Abd Rabu additionally participating in the Women Leaders’ Forum on ‘Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment and Sustainable Development’, while offering her support at the UAE Pavilion Theatre.

Providing details on her research, Rasha Abd Rabu said: “Environmental protection and conservation depend on reducing emissions and waste. Biodiesel, which has comparable physical and chemical properties to petroleum diesel, can reduce the presence of GHG and bring down harmful emissions. Through this process, I have discovered at the Masdar Institute laboratory that it is possible to minimize the negative impact on environment, while establishing world class waste management systems.”

Speaking at the Women Leaders’ Forum, Rasha Abd Rabu said: “Women should remember that it all starts with a few unusually brave and extraordinary women to take the lead and successfully make their way to become engineers and participate in efforts towards sustainable development and renewable energy. Emirati women should fully utilize the support the UAE leadership offers through institutions and organizations. Participating in furthering renewable energy, becoming members of programs such as YFEL, taking active part in conferences and forums that help engage women in discussions on sustainable development are some ways women can contribute to clean energy revolution.”

Winner of the best thesis award in the Mechanical Engineering program at Masdar Institute, Rasha Abd Rabu says the YFEL program has widened her horizons further in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability.

She added: “One of the main goals of the program is engaging the students with the leaders of today through discussions about the future of energy and seek sustainable solutions to the challenges of climate change. I am sure my participation in Rio+20 Summit has brought me benefits. We are all ambassadors of the UAE in Rio+20 Summit, and I hope I can share my experience about the UAE’s sustainable development measures, especially about my home Masdar Institute, with others.”

Established as an ongoing collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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.

Students Enthusiastically Participate in Quiz Games on Environment

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 4 June, 2012 – Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multifaceted renewable energy company, and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, demonstrated their support to students of Emirates National School (Boys Campus) by offering lessons in sustainability during the Science Fair.

The Science Fair for students at the Mohamed Bin Zayed campus was held on 22 May displaying innovative projects that focused on sustainability, energy and the environment.

As part of Masdar and Masdar Institute’s school outreach program, representatives from Masdar and Masdar Institute including Dr. Kenneth Volk, Outreach Manager, Masdar Institute and Zainab Al Ali, Senior Outreach Officer, organized a presentation, and quiz competition to encourage students to learn more about science and environment. The quiz challenged the students’ knowledge on renewable energy. Three students participated in the games during each session, with the floor occasionally thrown open to the audience to answer some of the more difficult questions.

The active participation by Masdar and Masdar Institute aimed to present the students with adequate information on renewable energy and the need to lead a sustainable lifestyle. The participation was also an opportunity for the students and teachers to gain further insight into the kind of Master’s programs offered at Masdar Institute and the eligibility requirements.

A large number of students enthusiastically participated in the quiz competition. Most of the questions were about the technology, key inventors, and/or dates of inventions and the prompt answers showed students’ extent of learning and awareness. Students additionally learnt about the concepts and terminology of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass and hydro. The Science Fair brought out the best in the students and proved to be one of the most enthusiastic interactive sessions.

Earlier this month, Masdar supported the Science Fair at the Emirates National School Girl’s campus of the Mohamed Bin Zayed campus. Masdar offered them materials on environment and sustainable living and organized similar activities as part of its continuous effort to promote outreach to youth across the UAE’s schools.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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 of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced it will highlight its collaborations, project initiatives and diverse research offerings in sustainable technologies at the Rio +20 Earth Summit 2012 in Brazil.

A delegation from Masdar Institute will drive this participation during the preparatory meetings prior to and during the Summit in Rio. More than 90 countries will be participating at the summit that is being organized from 20-22 June by the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD).

The Summit aims to secure renewed political commitment to sustainable development; assess progress towards internationally agreed goals on sustainable development; and address new and emerging challenges. It will also focus on two themes – ‘a green economy in the context of poverty eradication and sustainable development’, and ‘an institutional framework for sustainable development’.

As an institution that remains committed to sustainability, Masdar Institute in collaboration with its partners, including the Abu Dhabi-headquartered International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), will display the Solar Atlas at the UAE pavilion that will also host Masdar and other Mubadala entities. Masdar Institute’s academic, research and outreach offerings, as well as its other collaboration initiatives will also be showcased during the event.

Top officials, faculty and students, who are part of the delegation, will engage clean energy industry professionals, corporate decision-makers and thought leaders to identify opportunities for Masdar Institute to play a wider role on the global sustainability stage.

Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President of Masdar Institute, said: “The Rio+20 Summit will bring together heads of states, government leaders and civil society organizations to uphold the values of sustainability by providing the time and space and define a sustainable development pathway for a better future while preserving the natural resources. Such a forum is also ideal for Masdar Institute, which stands by the values of sustainability, to showcase its diverse academic and research offerings including our students’ research work. We thank the country’s wise leadership for guiding and supporting our participation in such global events that help maintain our profile among the industry and government leaders.”

Dr Lamya Nawaf Fawwaz, Executive Director, Public Affairs, Masdar Institute, said: “As part of its endeavor to developing critical thinkers and leaders of the future, Masdar Institute’s eight post-graduate programs cover diverse areas in advanced energy and sustainable technologies. With 240 students, representing nearly 40 countries, and an Emirati ratio of 40%, the research-driven institution contributes directly to developing the knowledge capital of the UAE and the region. Our participation in the Rio+20 Earth Summit reflects our status as one of the leading institutions that not only propagates the concept of sustainability but prepares the future leaders in practical solutions.”

Officials and faculty from Masdar Institute include Dr Lamya Nawaf Fawwaz and Dr Steven Griffiths, Executive Director of Institute Initiatives, will lead the participation at the Summit. In addition, Dr. Hosni Ghedira, Director, and Dr. Taha Ouarda, Deputy Director, of the UAE Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment, will lead the official launch of the Global Atlas for Solar and Wind Energy at the event.

Moreover, Dr Griffiths will lead and Dr. Ghedira will participate in a panel discussion titled ‘Masdar Institute’s Role in Shaping the Future Energy Landscape’. The two will highlight Masdar Institute’s successful global and local partnerships as well as underline the strategy adopted by the country’s leadership in R&D towards building a knowledge-based economy in the UAE. Darrin Morgan, Director of Biofuel Strategy at Boeing,and senior representatives from other Masdar Institute collaborators will provide an overview of their partnerships with Masdar Institute during the panel discussions.

Two students – Rasha Abd Rabu and Maitha Al Kaabi – will showcase their research work as members of the outreach program Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL). Abd Rabu will additionally engage women leaders at the forum titled ‘Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment for Sustainable Development’. The pavilion and the Global Atlas for Solar and Wind Energy display will be managed by Ibrahim Alsharif, Research Assistant, with the support of Khaula Al Nuaimi and Shaikha Al Khayyal, Event Officers.

With community involvement one of the key principles that drive sustainability, Masdar Institute’s outreach initiative Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program will also be showcased at the event.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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 of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced it will offer two projects related to solar cell applications as part of the six-week summer internship program.

The projects titled ‘Design of Filters for Applications in Solar Cells Under Light Concentration’ and ‘Solar Cell Technologies and Applications: Investigation of Luminescent Solar Concentrators for UAE Conditions’ are being offered to students majoring in Science and/or Engineering with adequate self-motivation and hard work.

The former project will focus on the design of specific optical filters for applications of concentrated PV, while the latter will assess whether Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) would be suitable for use in the UAE, given the unique atmospheric conditions. The LSC is an emerging technology in solar cell devices that offers great promise but is not explored in the UAE.

Solar cell technologies differ from one another based on the material used to make the solar cell and on the processing technology used to fabricate the solar cells. The solar cells (or photovoltaic devices) directly convert light into electricity, and generally use similar physics and technology as that used by the microelectronics industry to make computer chips. According to the 2012 Photovoltaics International journal, PV-generated electricity can now compete with diesel generation in most countries around the globe. In all locations with high solar irradiance and relatively high electricity costs, PV has reached grid-parity with ease.

A report from global market intelligence firm IMS Research, which tracks installations of solar PV in more than 60 countries, predicts global installations of PV could grow from 26.9GW in 2011 to between 27.8GW and 32.6GW in 2012, with Europe’s share falling from 69% last year to 50% this year. Despite many governments slashing financial incentives for the technology, installations of solar PV will grow by at least 3.5% in 2012, the report forecasts.

Dr. Mahieddine Emziane, Associate Professor – Solar Energy Materials & Devices Laboratory, Masdar Institute, will be in charge of these two summer internship projects that he proposed and he will be assisted by some of his students. A Chartered Scientist (CSci), Dr Emziane has spent 17 years working in the area of semiconductor materials and devices with an emphasis on thin-film PV, TPV, CPV and tandem solar cells. Prior to joining Masdar Institute as a founding faculty, he had appointments at the Universities of Oxford, Durham, Liverpool and Sheffield in the UK.

Dr. Mahieddine Emziane, Associate Professor – Solar Energy Materials & Devices Laboratory Masdar Institute, said: “Though there are many solar cell technologies and applications available or in use at present, not all of them are relevant to our part of the world. This is the focus of my group’s research and we are seeking to identify ways that can make our work relevant to this country and the region.

“We are confident that more students in the UAE will find this an interesting subject and join our group to work on solar cell technology. We thank the country’s wise leadership for their support that has enabled us to offer the interns diverse project options.”

An intern is expected to design, prepare modeling simulations, conduct assessment and feasibility study under the two programs that are part of the more than 15 project options offered by Masdar Institute for summer internship that is scheduled to begin on 1 July. The deadline for submission of applications ended on 3 May.

Dr. Emziane is the co-owner of three pending IP rights, one of which has been licensed to industry. First author of over 60 peer-reviewed publications and technical reports out of nearly 100, he has delivered more than 60 conference contributions, invited talks and seminars.

Established as an ongoing collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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.