The launch of the second edition of the Solar Decathlon - Middle East competition, with the participation of 8 teams from 11 universities around the world

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, the second edition of the Global Competition for Universities to Design Solar-Based Homes (Solar Decathlon - Middle East), organized by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, was launched today, within the framework of the Partnership between the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the Authority with the US Department of Energy.

Eight teams from 11 universities around the world will participate in the second edition of the competition this year.

The university teams started building the sustainable smart homes in which they participated in the competition in the "Decathlon Village" in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

The authority organized a reception for the university teams in the presence of His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, and a number of DEWA officials.

In his opening speech, Al Tayer said: “I am pleased to welcome you to the United Arab Emirates, the incubator for innovators and the destination for entrepreneurs, innovators and emerging companies from around the world, as it provides a stimulating environment for the future industry under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President The state, may God protect him, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. I am also pleased to welcome you to the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar energy complex in the world and will have a production capacity of about 5,000 megawatts by 2030, and currently provides about 10% of the energy production capacity in Dubai. Clean capacity will reach 75% of the energy mix by 2050, according to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.”

Al Tayer added: “Dubai’s hosting of the first and second rounds of the Solar Decathlon Middle East competition, and within the framework of the partnership between the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority with the US Department of Energy, supports the vision of our wise leadership to empower young innovators, and within our efforts to encourage youth From different parts of the world, to unleash their energies and motivate them for creativity and innovation, especially in the field of sustainability, to develop innovative solutions that support global efforts to confront climate change and promote the transition towards a more sustainable lifestyle, recognizing that young people are the driving force for building a brighter and more sustainable future. This edition of the competition is of particular importance, as it is held in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai, which hosts the world under the slogan “Connecting Minds.. Creating the future.” This slogan and the themes of Expo 2020 Dubai: “Sustainability”, “Mobility” and “Opportunities” are perfectly aligned with the objectives of Expo 2020 Dubai. This is a global competition.

This edition of the competition will also be held in the "Fiftieth Year", during which we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Arab Emirates, and are preparing for another fifty years of pioneering achievements. DEWA will allocate a platform within its pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai to display models of the homes that you are participating in in the Middle East Solar Decathlon this year, in addition to the smart and sustainable home that won first place in the first round of the competition.”

Engineer Walid bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence Sector at DEWA, ​​pointed out that the Solar Decathlon competition is the most competitive among international universities, and aims to involve young people in the sustainable development process by designing, building and operating smart and sustainable models that take into account the circumstances. The region’s climate, within 10 areas, including: architecture, engineering and construction, energy management, energy efficiency, comfort standards, performance efficiency of household appliances, sustainable transportation, sustainability, connectivity, and innovation.

The following teams will participate in the second round of the competition: Team KU from Khalifa University in the UAE;

the "Sharjah" team from the University of Sharjah;

The “Desert Phoenix” team from the University of Louisville in the United States, the Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE, the American University in Dubai and the American University of Sharjah; and the “Harmony” team from the British University in Dubai;

the Esteem team from Heriot-Watt University in the United Kingdom and Heriot-Watt University in Dubai;

Tawazun team from Manipal Academy of Higher Education - Dubai;

the “Go Smart” team from the University of Bahrain;

and the South China University of Technology team.

The public will be able to visit the Decathlon Village in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and see the homes in which the university teams participate in the competition, from 11 to 25 November 2021.

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