Abu Dhabi’s research-driven advanced energy and sustainability university Masdar Institute of Technology, has unveiled plans to create a centre for researching “sustainable energy enabling technologies” encompassing the production, storage and efficient use of technology.
With the founding of the new centre the institute, which is focussed on graduate level research, aims to contribute in helping Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, to reach its goal of generating 7% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
According to Masdar Institute, the new centre, named iEnergy “will focus on facilitating research in the areas of sustainable energy production, energy efficiency, advanced materials and biochemicals for energy applications, as well as thermal and electrical energy storage”.
iEnergy will be led by Dr. Jens Ejbye Schmidt, a professor specialising in biofuels. Schmidt is already based at Masdar, working on the institute’s chemical engineering programme.
In addition to publishing research findings and identifying new areas of academic focus, the new centre will pool funding opportunities and assist in coordinating strategic partnerships in order to support research. iEnergy will also be used to keep stakeholders informed of progress at the institute.
Masdar intends to bring the Shams One 100MW CSP plant online later this month.