Solar Impulse 2 Soars Over Gemasolar, Masdar’s Solar Thermal Plant in Seville

Shortly after taking off from Seville, Spain en route to Cairo, Egypt, Solar Impulse 2 flew directly over the Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant, a highly advanced facility run by Torresol Energy, a joint venture between Masdar and Sener. The 20-megawatt plant is the world’s first utility-scale solar power plant to combine a central tower receiver system and molten salt storage technology enabling electricity generation for 15 hours without solar irradiance electricity, thus guaranteeing a reliable energy supply 24 hours a day.

London Array Proves Viability of Large-Scale Renewable Projects

Today marks the two-year anniversary of the inauguration and completion of London Array – the world’s largest offshore wind farm. The sophisticated, 630-megawatt wind power project – and Masdar’s largest international investment to date – continues to deliver clean and reliable energy to more than half-a-million homes throughout the United Kingdom.

Fire at Masdar Offices Under Control

A fire started at approximately 1:30 am at the temporary Masdar offices on the outskirts of Masdar City. Masdar City and its buildings were not affected by the fire, and no one was injured. The fire caused damage to Block 1 and 2, a section of Masdar’s temporary offices. Abu Dhabi Civil Defence brought the fire under control and is looking into the cause.

Masdar City to Host Annual Sustainability Festival

Masdar City will host the second annual Festival at Masdar City from 11am to 9pm on January 23-24, marking the close of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW). The event will be an opportunity to enjoy a fun and family focused day out, in one of the world’s most sustainable cities.

Women in Sustainability Unite at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

Michael Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, Tours Masdar City

Michael Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, and a former mayor of New York City, toured Masdar City yesterday to learn how Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon mixed-use development is pioneering a “greenprint” for how cities can accommodate rapid urbanization and dramatically reduce energy, water and waste.

Masdar Launches Second Edition of International Blogging Contest

Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s Renewable Energy Company, has launched the second edition of its international Engage Blogging Contest ahead of January’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2014 – the region’s largest gathering on sustainability. Under the theme “Cities and Sustainable Development,” the competition asks contributors to discuss their views of the critical role our cities play in driving sustainability.

‘Blue Economy Summit’ Highlights Importance of Marine Ecosystems in Achieving Global Sustainability

The ‘Blue Economy Summit’ was held today in Abu Dhabi to address the unique climate and sustainably challenges facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and marine ecosystems. With over 70 percent of the world’s surface covered by oceans, protecting the health of marine environments is fundamental to protecting the world’s interconnected economies and long-term sustainability.

GE Unveils Ecomagination Center in Masdar City

GE today unveiled its ecomagination Center in Masdar City to develop innovative solutions for driving sustainable growth. Masdar City, located in Abu Dhabi, UAE is one of the world’s most sustainable cities and is on a mission to discover a “greenprint” for how cities can accommodate for denser populations, while reducing energy, water and waste.

Siemens strengthens Middle East presence with new headquarters at Masdar City

Siemens, the global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering operating in the energy, infrastructure, industry and healthcare sectors, today inaugurated its new Middle East headquarters at Masdar City – Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon, sustainable city – where Siemens is an anchor tenant. The Siemens building has been designed with sustainable materials and energy efficient technologies, making it the first LEED Platinum certified office in the United Arab Emirates’ capital city. The building has become a benchmark for future projects in the Middle East and beyond, due to the sustainability standards and development methodology used in building it.

Sustainability Festival Attracts Thousands to Masdar City

The Festival at Masdar City – a two-day celebration of sustainability for the whole family, attracted thousands of UAE residents to Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon urban development today. The event, which ends tomorrow, forms part of this year’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week – a week-long series of events and conferences dedicated to advancing sustainability.

Queen Rania of Jordan to Speak at Opening Ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

Taking place January 13-17, ADSW is the largest gathering on sustainability in the history of the Middle East and will address the interconnected challenges that affect the global adoption of renewable energy, water security and sustainable development.

Masdar Releases Sustainability Report

Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, today published its first sustainability report. The report highlights the company’s sustainability milestones and provides a benchmark by which to measure future efforts.

Masdar Signs Framework Agreement with Jordan to Accelerate Renewable Energy Development

The agreement was signed during the sixth World Future Energy Summit (WFES), a global platform that addresses the future of renewable energy and sustainable development in the Middle East and the world. In attendance at the summit was Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan who delivered a keynote speech, underscoring the importance and growing commitment to renewable energy in Jordan and throughout the region.

Masdar Launches Renewable Energy Desalination Program

Masdar today launched a pilot program to test and develop advanced energy-efficient seawater desalination technologies suitable to be powered by renewable energy sources. The long-term goal of the program is to implement renewable energy-powered desalination plants in the United Arab Emirates and to have a facility at commercial scale by 2020.

Zayed Future Energy Prize Jury Members Visit Masdar’s Shams 1 Solar Power Station

The largest CSP plant in the Middle East and North Africa when commissioned later this year, Shams 1 will offset nearly 175,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, which is equivalent to planting 1.5 million trees or taking 15,000 cars off the road.

Masdar’s Mauritania Solar Project Underscores Commitment to UN ‘Sustainable Energy for All’

Sustainable Energy For All was created to mobilize actions in support of three key objectives: universal access to modern energy services; double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

Shams 1 Wins Project of the Year Award

“We are delighted that Shams 1 has received such a prestigious award,” said Yousif Al Ali, the general manager of Shams Power Company, a subsidiary of Masdar. “This demonstrates the leading role that Masdar plays in the region’s renewable energy sector. It also represents a realisation of the vision that our wise leadership has for renewable energy in the UAE.”

Construction Begins on Masdar and International Renewable Energy Agency Headquarters Complex

Masdar today announced the awarding of the design and construction contract for its new headquarters complex, which will also house the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The headquarters will be one of the most advanced, sustainable multi-use complexes in the United Arab Emirates. It will be the cornerstone of Masdar City – the special economic zone, clean-technology cluster and low-carbon city in Abu Dhabi. Completion is set for summer of 2014.

Masdar Invests In Offshore Wind Farm; Expanding Its Presence In The UK Wind Energy Market

Today, Masdar announced its partnership with Norway’s Statoil and Statkraft in a 402 MW offshore wind farm project, off the Norfolk coast in Eastern England. Masdar acquired a 35 percent stake in the project from Statoil. This leaves Statoil retaining a 35 percent stake and remaining operator of the project, with the remaining 30 percent owned by Statkraft.