Abu Dhabi is staged to become one of the leaders in cleantech. With a recent multi-million dollar commitment to the development of renewable energy, this country which provides a large quantity of the world’s oil is poised to be a leader in renewable energy sources.

1 ) General Electric. In 2008, GE donated more (more…)

Abu Dhabi is commissioning a new set of nuclear plants for the first time in 2018, that will generate 25% of its power. I find this a bit hard to understand, since it’s happening just as countries like Germany and Italy are decommissioning their nuclear power. Also, Abu (more…)

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is beginning to test its cutting edge photovoltaic (PV) panels in Masdar City. Masdar represents Abu Dhabi’s multi-billion dollar investment in new technologies and research for sustainable development. It has a growing portfolio that includes oil recovery, waste treatment and nanoscale electronics. (more…)

“I want my country to know how advanced you are in pursuing clean renewable energy. I want the world to know that the US is partnering with you because we are betting on Abu Dhabi and the UAE”

— U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

On the second stop of a six-day trip to the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary (more…)

2011 World Future Energy Summit to feature a cutting edge global exchange of ideas during January 19th “Masdar Digital Dialogue” in Abu Dhabi

It’s not that often that I get a chance to co-host a world party. But that is exactly what is happening on January 19, 2011 when LiveOAK Media will be honored to join (more…)

Dubai’s debt woes could have an impact on a key experiment in the renewable energy sector.

In late November, Dubai indicated that its state-controlled investment firm Dubai World needed to restructure $26 billion in debt, sending a shock through global markets.

Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven city-states ruled by hereditary clans. It is largely bankrolled by neighboring Abu Dhabi, which uses Dubai as the UAE business center. (more…)

It sits in the middle of a harsh, barren desert, sweltering in searing heat. It has no clean water, its sea is polluted and there is no topsoil, just a covering of sand. It is also the biggest per capita consumer of fuel, massively reliant on cars, power-hungry desalination and air-conditioning. And with all this, can the United Arab Emirate state of Abu Dhabi really succeed in building a new “green city” in the Middle East?

If you can believe visionary people like architect Gerard Evenden (his words above), from the British architectural firm Foster & Partners, yes it can. Billions of dollars are riding on the assumption

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Abu Dhabi is going far beyond its borders to build a zero carbon footprint city in Masdar. Clean technology leaders from across the global are helping to build Masdar City, which is being designed to use only renewable power and convert its waste to energy.

The innovative city of 40,000 will have no cars and recycle all of its waste, and is scheduled for completion in 2016.

An Australian firm, LAVA architects, recently won the bid to design the city center of Masdar with a European-style plaza.

America’s General Electric has a prominent role in Masdar, partnering with the Mubadala Development Company on financing programs and clean energy research. GE is also establishing an “ecoimagination” research center in Masdar.

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