His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the Research and Development Center of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Energy Complex in Dubai.
His Highness inspected the centers and laboratories of the center, which covers an area of 4400 square meters, and is one of the most important projects in the «Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Energy Complex», the largest solar energy complex in the world in one location according to the independent product system.
The Research and Development Center contributes to the localization of knowledge and experience, as the percentage of male and female researchers at the center is about 70%. The areas of the center include "solar energy", "smart grid integration", "energy efficiency" and "water", in addition to Applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which includes "3D printing and manufacturing in addition", as one of the innovative solutions for the production of spare parts for the sectors of production, transmission and distribution of electricity.
The inauguration of the center was attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Energy in Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, and Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (source) Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber .
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, listened to an explanation about the areas of work of the center, which includes internal and external laboratories to study the performance and reliability of solar panels. Among the most prominent internal laboratories are the electrical testing laboratory, the mechanical testing laboratory, the material testing laboratory, the solar radiation simulation laboratory, the artificial acceleration laboratory for the shelf life, and the external laboratories include testing various solar panel technologies and checking their performance, in addition to a safe location for the drone flight test.
His Highness met with a number of researchers and experts working in the Research and Development Center, which includes 37 researchers and researchers, including 20 PhDs and Masters holders, at 54%. His Highness was acquainted with their scientific activities, as the work team published more than 40 scientific papers in international scientific conferences and magazines, In addition to registering a patent, while five other patents are being registered, His Highness expressed his appreciation for the team’s efforts and scientific contributions, wishing them all success and success in the service of enhancing the reputation of the UAE as a center of excellence in the field of energy research.
The Authority’s research and development center is the only research center in the UAE related to the field of renewable energy, smart grid technologies and energy efficiency, and includes the largest and most comprehensive facilities in the country for testing solar PV panels and issuing conformity certificates. The center also conducts the longest continuous testing process for solar PV panels in the UAE In desert climatic conditions.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said: “We work within the framework of the vision and directions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, aimed at making the UAE an active and influential part of the global research and academic community, as we strive to foresee and create a sectoral future. Energy and water and embedding innovation in our various strategies and initiatives within the framework of government strategies and plans, including the Emirates strategy for the fourth industrial revolution aimed at strengthening the position of the UAE as a global center for it, and contributing to achieving a competitive national economy based on knowledge and innovation Future technological applications, Emirates National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 to develop an integrated system employs artificial intelligence in vital areas of the state, in addition to the Dubai Strategy Clean Energy 2050 aims to produce 75% of energy in Dubai from clean energy sources by the year 2050 ».
It is noteworthy that the Research and Development Center holds a platinum classification for green buildings, "leadership in energy and environmental design" from the American Council for Green Buildings, and includes photovoltaic panels on the roof of the building and the surface of parking lots, and photovoltaic panels integrated into the walls of the building, and the building contributes to reducing the consumption of Energy is more than 25%, in addition to rationalizing more than 50% of the amount of water consumed, and the center includes materials recycled by more than 30%.
The project "green hydrogen"
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority is implementing the "green hydrogen" project in cooperation with the "Expo 2020 Dubai" office and the German company "Siemens", in the external testing facilities of the Authority's Center for Research and Development in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Energy Complex, and is the first of its kind in the region Middle East and North Africa to produce hydrogen using solar energy. The facility will be operational during the current year, as the hydrogen that will be produced and then used in various fields will be stored.
The areas of work of the Research and Development Center
The first field of research includes "producing electricity from solar energy", evaluating the performance of solar photovoltaic panels and testing their long-term reliability in local climatic conditions, studying the impact of dust on photovoltaic panels, developing and testing new ways to resist weather conditions in the region, in addition to conducting research studies related to measuring the ratio of Solar radiation and proactive climate monitoring.
The "smart grid integration" includes the virtual power plant project, and it is the first virtual power station in the region, which is a smart network that includes distributed small and medium-sized units for energy production, including solar PV systems, battery storage systems, and flexible loads, with the aim of providing network services This includes reducing loads during peak consumption and controlling frequency to maintain current stability and stability, as well as an energy storage project that includes conducting the necessary studies and tests for current and future energy storage systems. The authority has launched a pilot project to install and test energy storage battery systems (NAS BESS) with a storage capacity of 1.2 megawatts and a capacity of 7.5 megawatts per hour, in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Energy Complex, in cooperation with the company «Implex Emirates», while linking storage systems to the authority’s network . The third research area "Energy Efficiency" also includes projects to develop and test the next generation of energy saving technologies with a focus on energy demand management efficiency, in addition to the global competition for solar energy design (Decathlon Solar Energy Middle East) which witnessed its first session in 2018 600 students and academics representing 15 teams from 28 universities participated, and the second course will be organized in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai.
As for the fourth research field, the "water" project includes desalination by using reverse osmosis technology using solar energy, and it includes a pilot plant for the production of 50 cubic meters of potable water per day, in addition to a project to produce water from the humidity of the atmosphere. The system installed in the center depends on solar energy. Atmospheric humidity to produce up to five liters of safe water per day. The center operates the only water desalination facility in the country using solar energy only.
The center includes the largest facilities in the country to test solar PV panels, and the longest continuous testing of solar PV panels is conducted in desert climatic conditions.
The center holds a platinum rating for green buildings, "Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design", from the American Green Building Council.
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A scientific paper published by the center's researchers in international conferences.