Iranian of the Day

The world's first

The world's first carbon-neutral city will be built in Abu Dhabi, the largest of seven states comprising the oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In April 2006, Abu Dhabi took a bold and historic decision to embrace renewable and sustainable energy technologies.

As the first major hydrocarbon-producing nation to take such a step, it has established its leadership position by launching Masdar, a global cooperative platform for open engagement in the search for solutions to some of mankind's most pressing issues: energy security, climate change and truly sustainable human development

A car-free, zero-waste metropolis, Masdar--Arabic for source--will house up to 50,000 people. Investments and Developments Made Across Solar, Hydrogen, Carbon Reduction, Green Design, Higher Education

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 22 January 2008 - Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s $15 billion future energy initiative, has made significant steps forward in its ambition to make Abu Dhabi the global centre for future energy.

As a long-term strategic and financial initiative, Masdar aims to create an entirely new economic sector in Abu Dhabi turning it into an exporter of technology. Since its inception in April 2006, Masdar has been working to bring this initiative to life and many of the building blocks are now in place.

The highlights of this period include:

• The Masdar Clean Technology Fund (www.masdarctf.com), an investment fund dedicated to advancing renewable energy and sustainable technologies, has concluded its first year of operations with one of the strongest and most successful deal flows in the investment community. The $250 million dollar fund has already deployed most of its capital, one year ahead of schedule.

The fund has invested in many expansion stage companies focused on the development and commercialisation of promising technologies in renewable energy like solar, energy efficiency, water reuse and desalination – all technologies with relevance for Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the Middle East and North Africa region.

• Masdar provides market-driven incentives for carbon management, by monetising greenhouse gas emission reductions in compliance with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) framework of the Kyoto Protocol. Masdar is leveraging the CDM to promote sustainable growth in the region offering companies in developing economies the opportunity to receive tradable “carbon credits” against project-based emissions reduction. Masdar provides an end-to-end solution for project developers under the CDM, including investment, technical assistance, project management and carbon finance.

• Masdar is currently developing a portfolio of CDM projects with major asset owners in the UAE and the Middle East ? including Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) and Dubai Aluminum (DUBAL).

• Masdar also advances sustainable infrastructure projects, leading to sizeable carbon emission reductions, with a particular focus on CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS). In March 2007, Masdar announced a strategic initiative aiming to develop an Abu Dhabi-based national CCS network for enhanced oil recovery. This initiative started with a comprehensive feasibility study conducted in the second half of 2007, to assess the economics and evaluate options for CO2 capture from industrial and power generation facilities in Abu Dhabi and delivery to oil reservoirs. The study will recommend the first carbon capture project planned for kick-off in 2008 as well as the road map to develop the national network.

• Masdar has recently signed an agreement with BP and Rio Tinto to conduct a feasibility study on the front-end engineering design of an industrial-scale hydrogen-fired power generation project with carbon capture and storage. The project will be the largest of its kind in the world, and will provide 500MW of clean power.

• Masdar’s progress in solar technology has been developing and will soon release an invitation to build, own and operate a 100 MW Concentrating Solar Power (“CSP”) plant in Madinat Zayad, Abu Dhabi – the first of many CSP plants in Abu Dhabi and the UAE, which will feed power to existing grids. The plant will use parabolic trough technology and is expected to be operational by the end of 2010.

• Over the past two months a major photovoltaic panel field test has been underway, which aims to evaluate the performance and efficiency of different PV models within the Abu Dhabi environment. This is the first test of its kind in the world and is located at the future site of Masdar City, with the energy created by the panels already feeding back into Abu Dhabi’s grid.

• The faculty for the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) is now formed and is already conducting research in 12 different areas. The faculty will support the drive to create the next generation of energy leaders here in Abu Dhabi and around the world. In partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), MIST is the world’s first graduate level institution focused on alternative energy and sustainability, ensuring a ready supply of highly skilled graduates to meet the growing demand within the clean technology and sustainable energy sectors.

• The Masdar Research Network is mobilising and has signed up many of the world’s leading institutions in the sustainable energy industry including Columbia University, USA; Imperial College of London, UK; RWTH Aachen University, Germany; University of Waterloo, Canada; Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan; The German Aerospace Center (DLR); Ciemat: Energy Research Center, Spain. The MRN is already working with Tokyo Institute of Technology in the research of beam down solar technologies, with the first facility of this type being planned for Masdar City.

• The Abu Dhabi government through Masdar this week announced the establishment of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, which awards of over $US2 million annually to honour individuals and organizations for their excellence and innovation in the innovation, development and implementation of sustainable energy solutions.

The Zayed Future Energy Prize will be awarded to three individuals or organisations that have made significant contributions in the global response to the future of energy. The award is named after the United Arab Emirates founding father and conservationist His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and will be chaired by R.K. Pachuari, Chairman of the Nobel Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

//www.masdaruae.com/text/news-d.aspx?_id=51

Desalination Plant

The city will use a fraction of the power of normal cities, and achieve zero waste through the reduction, re-use, recycling and recovery of waste material. An emission-free public transport system will eliminate the need for personal vehicles. Water will come from a desalination plant.Masdar chief executive officer Dr Sultan Al Jaber predicted the city would "lead the world"."We are creating a city where residents and commuters will live the highest quality of life with the lowest environmental footprint," he said. "Masdar city will become the world's hub for future energy. By taking sustainable development and living to a new level, it will lead the world in understanding how all future cities should be built."Over 70,000 Jobs The 6.5 square km city is expected to create more than 70,000 jobs and attract sustainability experts, including academicians attracted to its graduate school, the world's first graduate school dedicated to renewable energy.The Masdar project is an initiative of the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, which is owned by the Abu Dhabi Government.The city Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is already home to 900,000 people.Boasting the world's fifth largest oil reserves and fourth largest gas reserves, the UAE is a federation of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. In addition to Abu Dhabi, which sits atop most of the energy reserves, the seven states, termed emirates, are Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain.

//www.masdaruae.com/text/introduction.aspx

Is Kourosh Moamelat Melki?

Kourosh,

How do you guys still make a living in the post-sub-prime mess?

To: Nahid H

Not aware of any web resource that would provide such information. However, I am sure there ought to be plenty and most likely posted on the web. Do a search; you'll be surprise what might be available. In general, there are plenty of professional jobs within Dubai commercial sectors and that is where I am active. To land a job, it is better to be here, otherwise one need to apply from outside through various organizations that have point of contacts here in Dubai. To be Iranian and speak fluent English and some French it is a win situation. The Iranian advantages in Dubai compare to other non Arab nationalities who are working here are the knowledge and familiarity of the regional cultures. That is, in my opinion a big deal and a good tool to have in performing your daily activities. Incidentally, teaching profession for all sectors are hot here as most are in need of staff with training experience. Hope this was a small help.

Bijani, where can I find out about working in Dubai?

Is there a web resource for American citizens interested in working or teaching there? Thanks.

Nice lovely couple

Khoda bebakhasheh khanum!!! Hope your family enjoyed your video as much as I did. Never been in your neck of the wood, San Francisco. I prefer Dubai where quite a few of you folks from California are packing and heading this way to make some money. Iranians here are pretty much running the business.