Masdar joins Antarctica research
abu dhabi — Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, and the Australian government will collaborate on sea ice research and energy efficiency in Antarctica. This will enhance scientific understanding of the effects of global warming and climate change on the polar continent.
The announcement was made during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. In the presence of Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, the collaboration was formally signed on Wednesday.
The collaboration will begin in February when a team will travel to Earth’s southernmost continent to monitor energy efficiency and investigate opportunities to use renewable energy at Australia’s Antarctic research stations.
“The UAE and Australia share strong ties and a deep commitment
uae and australia share strong ties and a deep commitment to research and clean technology,”
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, chief executive officer of Masdar
to research and clean technology,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, chief executive officer of Masdar. “We look forward to strengthening the scientific collaboration between our two countries through this fascinating Antarctic collaboration, an experience of a lifetime for its participants.”
Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, interim executive vice-president, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “Such cross-border collaborations reflect the strength of the UAE as a country for expertise in niche technology areas such as clean energy and earth observation. We believe this letter of intent on exchange of scientists and students in the form of sabbaticals, research missions, visiting scholar programmes or other forms of knowledge exchange, will prove beneficial to all member partners.”
The sea ice research component of the agreement, which will be led by Dr Marouane Temimi, Associate Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, aims to leverage the latest advances in remote sensing, data assimilation and forecasting to better understand the effects of climate change on the characteristics and behaviour of Antarctic sea ice.
A team from Masdar will travel to Australia’s Casey Research Station to evaluate energy efficiency opportunities and the use of renewable energy at Australia’s three, yearround Antarctic research stations, as well as report on the environmental impacts and best practices.
The world’s coldest continent, Antarctica is a land mass covered with ice sheets up to four kilometres thick believed to contain up to 70 per cent of the world’s fresh water.