LinkNotes: UAE

2009-08-28

Masdar -- World's First Sustainable City

Masdar City

Masdar is a planned city in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. It is an initiative by the Government of Abu Dhabi through Mubadala Development Company. Designed by the British architectural firm Foster + Partners, the city will rely entirely on solar energy and other renewable energy sources, with a sustainable, zero-carbon, zero-waste ecology. The city is being constructed 17 kilometres (11 mi) east-south-east of the city of Abu Dhabi, beside Abu Dhabi International Airport.

clipped from www.youtube.com

clipped from www.masdar.ae

As the first major hydrocarbon-producing economy to take such a step Abu Dhabi has established its leadership position by launching the Masdar Initiative a global cooperative platform for the open engagement in the search for solutions to some of mankind's most pressing issues energy security climate change and the development of human expertise in...

clipped from www.designboom.com

LAVA wins first prize for masdar - world's first sustainable city in UAE

Sources:

2008-08-17

Solar Islands

Giant discs covered in solar panels and launched at sea to capture the sun's rays and create electricity and hydrogen could be visible on the coastline of the United Arab Emirates in a number of years. The concept is being developed by the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology, Inc (CSEM).

CSEM

Clipped from: CSEM --> microtechnology: electronic: swiss center electronics: biochem: biochemical: biochemistry: bio: bioengineering: biomolecule: molecule: detection: detect: diagnostic: electrochem: electrochemical:microsystem: nanotechnology: optic: optical: pharmacetical: sensing: sensor: surface : neuchatel csem

Clipped from: Solar Islands - a CSEM Concept
CSEM is developing a new concept for the large-scale transformation of solar energy into hydrogen and electricity at very low cost. The plan is to build large “Solar Islands” floating in the sea. These giant floating islands will be fitted with solar thermal panels which will convert solar energy into electricity and/or hydrogen.

CSEM started a project to design and built a first prototype of such a solar island. The aim of the project is to validate the concept and prepare the construction of large islands. The prototype will be built and tested in the desert of the United Arab Emirates. The project is funded by 5 mio US$ by the Gouvernment of the emirate Ras al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Clipped from: YouTube - Solar Islands (TM)

Technology

Clipped from: solar islands - a csem concept

Patented Technology

The circular Solar Islands with a diameter of 5 kilometers and an height of 20 meters consists of a torus, which is the steam storage, carrying the termosolar panels placed on a membrane.
Electric pumps constitute an overpressure of 0.1 bar to sustain the membrane 20 metres above the water level.

The whole platform adjusts it´s position to the course of the sun, to assure a maximum yield rate. To enable the platform to move, electric hydrodynamic motors will be fixed every 10 meters along the circumference.

Webcam

Clipped from: solar islands - a csem concept
Solar Islands Webcam
The webcam shows the actual situation at the Solar Islands field in RAK, where the first prototype is build. The picture is updated every 10 minutes. Click on the image to see full size version:

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