# UAE Science & Technology Thread



## Kutsuit

*UAE rainmakers prepare for take-off*

http://7days.ae/uae-rainmakers-prepare-take-off



> An Abu Dhabi scientist will use nanotechnology in an attempt to generate more rain in the UAE.
> 
> Prof Linda Zou, of the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, is head of one of the three top research teams that were awarded Dhs$5 million (Dhs18.4 million) in research funding for ideas on cloud seeding that could help bring temperatures down by making it rain.


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## Kutsuit

*Abu Dhabi scientists seek to commercialise pioneering solar technology within 5 years*

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/techn...se-pioneering-solar-technology-within-5-years



> Investments in the sector are continuing apace, though, especially in the UAE. Facilities such as the Shams 1 solar power facility at Madinat Zayed reflect a pledge from the authorities that by 2021 clean energy will generate 24 per cent of the country’s electricity.
> 
> In Dubai, officials would like to see all buildings fitted with solar panels, and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park should, by 2030, be capable of producing 5,000 megawatts of electricity.
> 
> Aside from investing in solar power capacity, the UAE is improving the technology behind it. At Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, scientists are developing ways of turning the Sun’s rays into power that are inexpensive and efficient. First reported in The National last October, work by Carlo Maragliano, a doctoral candidate, and Matteo Chiesa, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science engineering, involves separating out the various wavelengths in light, and concentrating them. They hope a device that they are developing could be used in the UAE’s solar farms.
> 
> “I definitely believe that this technology is potentially useful for the UAE’s solar power industry, as it holds the promise to convert sunlight into electricity at a greater capacity compared to current commercial panels,” said Mr Maragliano.
> 
> If all of Abu Dhabi emirate was powered by standard solar farms, solar panels would have to cover about 9 per cent of the land, according to the researchers. With their technology, they say that number could be reduced by half – and the cost would be about the same.
> 
> How does it achieve such an improvement? A key factor is the technology’s ability to use a greater range of light wavelengths.


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## Kutsuit

*UAE eyes new clean energy generation target by 2030*

http://www.thenational.ae/business/energy/uae-eyes-new-clean-energy-generation-target-by-2030












> The UAE is looking to increase its target for power generation from clean energy to 30 per cent by 2030, the energy minister said yesterday.
> 
> “What we know is that at least 25 per cent [of electricity] is going to be from both nuclear and solar,” Suhail Al Mazrouei said after a ceremony to launch the third annual State of Energy report.
> 
> “But there is potential to go to 30 per cent. It will depend on the number of projects we have and we are evaluating and putting these things together now,” he added.
> 
> Under the government’s current plans, nuclear power is the main source of non-hydrocarbon based electricity generation.
> 
> Four new South Korean-designed nuclear reactors are due to come online between 2017 and 2020, each with generating capacity of 1,400 megawatts. They will provide an estimated 25 per cent of the country’s electricity demand by 2020, replacing primarily the natural gas-generated electricity that makes up the bulk of power generation at present.
> 
> The additional renewable energy power generation in the country comes primarily from solar power.
> 
> Mr Al Mazrouei noted that the economics of solar power had been improving rapidly in recent years, noting the record-setting bid at the end of 2014 in Dubai for a 100MW solar power plant at US$5.98 per kilowatt hour.
> 
> That price is competitive with natural gas prices even after the further decline of oil and gas prices on international markets.
> 
> Last year, the government estimated that savings of between $1 billion and $3.7bn could be achieved by hitting its renewables target and now believes the savings could be even greater with the changed outlook for fossil fuels and renewable energy prices.


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## Kutsuit

*CLOUD SEEDING COULD BOOST UAE WATER SUPPLY BY 5%*

http://www.waterworld.com/articles/wwi/2016/01/cloud-seeding-could-boost-uae-water-supply-by-5.html












> Efforts in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to develop cloud seeding have moved forward following the award of a $5 million grant.
> Cloud seeding, also known as rain enhancement, works by dispersing – normally by a small aircraft - natural salts such as potassium chloride and sodium chloride into clouds to encourage rainfall.
> When a suitable cloud is identified, salts are dispersed into the cloud with the aim to help droplets cluster until they are heavy enough to fall as rain drops.
> It is hoped rain enhancement could provide up to 5% of water supplies.
> It was in January 2015 when the UAE initiative began, overseen by the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS). Since then, 110 cloud seeding test flights have been launched.
> Previous cloud seeding efforts have been successful. In April 2013 monthly rainfall in the Al Quaa region of Abu Dhabi was 136mm following cloud seeding. This compared to an average of 29.9mm between 2003 and 2014 without rain enhancement.
> In its October-November edition, WWi magazine included a feature from Alya Al Mazroui, program manager for the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), detailing ambitions of the plan (read article).
> As part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, a $5 million grant was awarded to research groups from Japan, the UAE and Germany to help move the cloud-seeding related research forward.


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## Kutsuit

*Dubai Police to use Google Glass to catch traffic violators*

Dubai Police to use Google Glass to catch traffic violators. Dubai Police is now testing the use of Google Glass for traffic officers. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv


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## Kutsuit

*UAE news in review 2015: A shift towards the sciences*

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/education/uae-news-in-review-2015-a-shift-towards-the-sciences












> ABU DHABI // There were some significant shake-ups in the education sector in 2015.
> 
> For one, Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, the head of the Abu Dhabi Education Council, stepped down to become the first woman in the Arab world to lead a national assembly, the Federal National Council.
> 
> During her tenure as leader of Adec, Dr Al Qubaisi instituted a number of changes, including an overhaul of the public high school curriculum to focus more on the sciences and technology.
> 
> Adec also launched a number of programmes, clubs and competitions to promote science, technology, engineering and maths in schools. Strengthening national identity and culture also became a part of the public and private school curriculums in the emirate.


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## Kutsuit

*Health care set to take big leap in five years*

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/uae-health/health-care-set-to-take-big-leap-in-five-years












> *People in UAE are used to excellence: Mohammed*
> 
> His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has launched the Dubai Health Strategy 2021, to streamline the health sector in Dubai.


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## Kutsuit

*Nation Hospital aligns with the strategic healthcare plans of Abu Dhabi's Vision 2030*

Collaboration with one of Europe's most renowned medical universities - Medical University of Vienna International will advance Abu Dhabi's medical capabilities and premium healthcare through the creation of a this multidisciplinary hospital

https://www.zawya.com/story/Nation_...f_Abu_Dhabis_Vision_2030-ZAWYA20160126131823/












> With a commitment towards supporting Vision 2030's healthcare objectives of making Abu Dhabi a destination for superior quality healthcare services, the Bin Omeir Medical Group (BOMG) is setting out through a strategic partnership with one of Europe's most prestigious universities to launch a new multidisciplinary hospital in 2016, the first flagship project of the group.
> 
> The Medical University of Vienna, which has a 650-year history of advancing medical science, is collaborating with Bin Omeir Medical Group (BOMG) in the development of a new advanced multi-disciplinary hospital strategically located in the heart of Abu Dhabi.


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## Kutsuit

*1. China Sunergy Announces Joint Venture with UAE-based PV Specialist Z-One Holding*

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...ed-pv-specialist-z-one-holding-300202043.html












> NANJING, China and DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- China Sunergy Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: CSUN) ("China Sunergy" or the "Company"), and Z-One Holding today announced an agreement to form a joint venture to market and sell the full range of CSUN's solar products and provide high value-added PV solutions in the Middle Eastern and African markets. Under the terms of the agreement, the joint venture, CSUN Solar MEA FZC, will be owned 60% by China Sunergy, and 40% by Z-One Holding.


*2. UAE-based Z-One Holding, China Sunergy to bring solar products to Middle East, Africa*

http://gulfnewsjournal.com/stories/...to-bring-solar-products-to-middle-east-africa












> China Sunergy Co. Ltd. (CSUN) and UAE-based Z-One Holding said Monday they will work together to bring solar energy products to the Middle East and Africa.
> 
> CSUN will hold a 60 percent stake in the new venture and Z-One Holding will hold a 40 percent stake. CSUN will provide its line of products and solutions and Z-One Holding will use its distribution network across the regions to move the products and facilitate relationships.


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## Kutsuit

*Huawei launches flagship Mate 8 in Dubai*

Chinese firm has Apple in its cross-hairs and wants to be global No. 2 this year

http://www.emirates247.com/business...-flagship-mate-8-in-dubai-2016-01-19-1.617860



> Last night, Dubai became the first global city to witness the launch of the Huawei Mate 8 smartphone and the M2 tablet, following the unveiling of the devices last week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and the devices' home-market (China) launch.





> Huawei is now the No. 3 smartphones vendor in the world, after Samsung and Apple, and, in 2015, became the first Chinese company to storm through the 100-million smartphones a year barrier.
> 
> There’s reason why Huawei chose Dubai as the first global port of call to launch its biggest (yet) challenge to the iPhone 6s Plus phablet.
> 
> In the Middle East, Huawei is No. 2, already selling more smartphones than Apple, confirms Sandeep Saighal, Vice President of Huawei Consumer Business Group, who says the firm is eyeing an even bigger UAE market share this year thanks to yesterday’s launch of its latest flagships, the 6-inch Mate 8 phablet and the 10.1-inch M2 tablet.


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## Kutsuit

*Sharp to sell high-tech strawberry factories in UAE*

http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Sharp-to-sell-high-tech-strawberry-factories-in-UAE












> OSAKA -- Sharp will make its first foray into the agriculture business in the second half of fiscal 2016, rolling out a cutting-edge factory system for raising strawberries in the United Arab Emirates.
> 
> The system will produce sweet strawberries by creating an optimal environment with the use of the electronics maker's proprietary technologies. For example, an LED lighting system will shine light in the ideal wavelength for promoting growth. Because strawberries are a disease-prone fruit, Sharp's Plasmacluster air-disinfecting technology will be employed to kill viruses. In the future, the company plans to also incorporate its solar panels into the setup.
> 
> The systems will be sold for around 100 million yen ($820,000) apiece, roughly one-tenth the cost of building a conventional factory farm. It takes just about four months to set one up, roughly a third of the time needed with comparable systems. One farm can produce 30 packs of strawberries a day.
> 
> Sharp plans to build a demonstration farm at a sales base in Dubai as soon as May. By utilizing its existing sales channel for consumer electronics and copiers, the company plans to target local supermarkets, hotels and restaurants, as well as wealthy people. The Japanese company hopes to create a business with annual sales of between 2 billion yen and 3 billion yen in the not-too-distant future.
> 
> (Nikkei)


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## Kutsuit

*1. UAE college to build new campus in Masdar City*

http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/90315/UAE-college-to-build-new-campus-in-Masdar-City












> Emirates Investment Bank, a leading investment banking boutique headquartered in Dubai, said it has secured major funding for Abu Dhabi-based Emirates College of Technology (ECT) to build its new campus in Masdar City.
> 
> The campus, being built on a 20,790 sq m plot of land, will accommodate both males and females in one location. Construction is expected to be completed by mid-2018 with new batch of students starting fall of 2018-2019.


*2. UAE Year of Reading aims to create a generation of book lovers*

Move aims to bring up generation of well-educated, cultured and tolerant students, capable of changing the future for the better

http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/educat...-create-a-generation-of-book-lovers-1.1840568



> In November last year, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced the adoption of the Science, Technology and Innovation’s Higher Policy. The plan foresees an investment of over Dh300 billion with a goal to build a vibrant knowledge-based economy in the UAE.


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## Kutsuit

*Free Zones And The UAE’s Startup Economy*

https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/en/free-zones-and-the-uaes-startup-economy/

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*UAE To Open Arab Gulf's First Nuclear Reactor In 2018*

The oil-rich UAE aims to continue diversifying toward its goal of 50-percent clean energy by 2050.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/uae-to-open-arab-gulfs-first-nuclear-reactor-in-2018-1754999


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