According to the Spanish news agency, EFE, the Director of Masdar City (where the institute is located), Alan Frost, stated in a meeting with the media during the World Future Energy Summit that the institution needs new talent to develop the programmes it is running.
Today, the Masdar Institute has 240 students from around the world, specialised in different disciplines from cleaning waste water to driverless vehicles. However, says Frost, there are not enough of them to develop Masdar City, which aims to have 50,000 residents in 2013, a minimum energy consumption and the ability to provide its own energy entirety.
The institute offers scholarships, accommodation and an entire city as a laboratory, with the best equipment and almost complete freedom to test any issues relating to sustainability.
Students are not confined to classrooms, but work closely with teachers in the analysis and testing of power generation, energy saving or recycling systems, and materials development. In return, the institute requires young graduates with an excellent level of English and the ability to pass the most stringent of tests of knowledge, intelligence and the ability to innovate.
They also have to be willing to live in the first sustainable homes in Masdar City, located in the middle of the site which will one day be a great "clean" city, and allow themselves to be used as guinea pigs in studies to improve energy efficiency.
Professor Afshin Afshari told the media that one of the experiments conducted with the students was to test the effectiveness of smart meters to reduce electricity consumption at times of high demand. Some students received information about what they were consuming and others did not, while a third group obtained data with economic incentives.
The result of this study has led to a smart metering programme in Abu Dhabi, which has not yet been officially announced, and will help reduce peak demand in a country that still covers peaks with fuel gas-powered plants, which are the most expensive and polluting kind.
Nurturing future energy leaders
This week it was also announced that the UAE has contributed $1 million to Masdar Institute’s Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) Programme. His Excellency Sultan bin Rashed Al Dhaheri, member of the Federal National Council, has donated the money to the outreach programme run by Masdar Institute to develop tomorrow’s leaders in the fields of advanced energy and sustainability.
The contribution from His Excellency Sultan bin Rashed Al Dhaheri is expected to further strengthen YFEL’s continuing initiatives to educate, inspire and position students and young professionals to become future leaders capable of tackling the world’s most pressing challenges.
His Excellency Sultan bin Rashed Al Dhaheri said: “Education holds the key to social and economic progress. At the same time, it is equally important for the youth to acquire special workplace skills, leadership qualities and professional training, which have become mandatory in today’s labour market. The responsibility to provide these special skills lies with the community. As a member of the community and a UAE national, I feel privileged to contribute to the YFEL programme, which nurtures and develops today’s youth and students into capable decision-makers of tomorrow. I see a great future for the UAE and its people through Masdar and its various initiatives. I am confident the YFEL programme will continue to benefit more members in the coming months.”
“Knowledge-building measures, especially through outreach programmes, are essential to develop the society for the future. This generous contribution is a testament to the value and the awareness Masdar has effectively created among the community, and demonstrates the importance of renewable energy and sustainable development, as well as the creation of a platform that enables our youth to excel,” said Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Masdar Institute. “This is a remarkable gesture because these voluntary initiatives reflect the collective commitment by key members of the community towards developing capable leaders for the future. We thank the UAE’s wise leadership for their support to all our measures and we believe similar efforts by the wider community will help nurture the future energy industry leaders.”
As a dynamic forum, YFEL encourages highly qualified and talented students and young professionals to become proactive in their contribution towards debates and global discussion in advanced energy and sustainability. In addition, it helps members to enhance knowledge and leadership skills to achieve professional goals, organizes short courses, workshops and seminars, offers opportunities to share innovative ideas in advanced energy and sustainability with peers, provides networking opportunities and visibility through high level events and meetings, while recognizing members’ contributions and accomplishments.
The YFEL programme offers young professionals and students from the UAE and abroad an opportunity to become more engaged in finding solutions to achieving energy efficiency and tackling climate change. It also aims to bring young professionals closer to government representatives, business leaders and other organizations active in the area of alternative energy and sustainability.
For additional information:
