Federal National Council Delegation Visits Masdar

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, and other senior officials of the renewable energy company welcomed the delegation and presented Masdar’s advancements in the development, commercialisation and deployment of clean technologies and solutions as part of Masdar’s mission to support the Abu Dhabi government in its goal of achieving energy security and diversification of revenue sources.

The Speaker of the FNC, His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, said: "What we see in Masdar is a source of pride for every UAE resident. The development of renewable energy projects that Masdar is associated with at home and abroad contributes to achieving energy security and helps the development of science and technology. We were delighted to meet the UAE national students enrolled in Masdar Institute who are now conducting advanced research to find practical solutions in important areas such as bio fuels to promote energy efficiency.”

His Excellency Al Murr also urged more UAE national youth to join Masdar Institute and pursue higher studies in advanced sciences rather than travelling abroad. He advised them to acquire skills and essential know-how in the renewable energy sector, where there is a demand for skilled resources.

The FNC delegation included: His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Salem Al Mazroui, General Secretary of the Council; His Excellency Rashid Mohamed Shoriqi; His Excellency Hamad Ahmed Alrahoma; His Excellency Ahmed Abdul Malik Ahli; His Excellency Afra Rashid Al Basti; His Excellency Obaid Hassan bin Rakkad; His Excellency Humaid Mohamed Ben Salem; and Masood Ahmed Al Mazroui, Director of Public Relations and Protocol and Members Affairs.

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said: "We are pleased to welcome the Federal National Council delegation to Masdar. We are confident that this visit will raise awareness about Masdar’s projects and highlight the efforts we undertake to implement the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership. Masdar is mandated to help the Abu Dhabi government in its goal of achieving energy security and diversification of revenue sources. We aim to make Masdar an innovation hub for clean technology and human capacity, which will contribute in positioning the UAE as a global energy leader. "

Senior Masdar officials delivered a presentation to the delegation, highlighting the progress of Masdar’s international and local projects and then accompanied the delegation on a tour of Masdar Institute (MI).

During the tour, the delegation experienced Masdar’s personal rapid transit (PRT) pods and was taken to MI’s advanced laboratories and clean rooms. The tour also included a visit to MI’s library, the Knowledge Centre, and its landmark ‘the wind tower’. Inspired by the traditional Barjeel, the tower captures upper level winds and cools the open-air public square below.

Masdar officials also escorted the delegation to the 10MW solar power plant. Currently, the power generated by the 10MW power plant and the 1MW rooftop panels on Masdar Institute is in surplus of what is consumed within Masdar City, with the excess power generated exported to the national grid. The state-of-the-art PV plants achieve annual carbon savings of approximately 15,000 tons – the equivalent of taking 3,300 cars off Abu Dhabi’s roads each year.

The visiting delegation was also briefed on other ongoing Masdar projects, including the 100MW concentrated solar power plant (CSP) Shams One; the 50MW each Valle 1 and 2 CSP plants in Spain; and the 1GW London Array offshore wind farm.