Jordan’s Millenium Energy Industries (MEI) has announced a project to provide 1.3 million liters a day of hot water for a new development in the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi’s Modern Residential City is to house 25,000 people in 48 buildings, all of which will receive their hot water from the planned project.
The project adds to numerous efforts in the Emirates to green their life. Last week Abu Dhabi announced that 7% of their total power needs will come from renewable energy sources by 2020.
Surveys in the Gulf state show most real estate investors weigh heavily the environmental impact of the buildings they are financing, and plans are underfoot for Dubai to host the Middle East’s largest solar panel plant. Simultaneously, UAE is one of the world’s largest exporters of oil, and is home to heavily critiqued environmental excesses as indoor ski-hills and a refrigerated beach.
MEI Chair Ennis Rimawi says “with the right regional engineering expertise, advanced solar heating technology is currently commercially viable due to its efficiency and reliability.”
His company’s hot water solution is projected to amount to an 8 MW power load savings for Modern Residential City. This in addition to an estimated installation cost 35 percent less than installing traditional water heating systems (MEI’s system is expected to cost approximately US$6 million).
The system will have an electrical back-up, but MEI expects it won’t be used extensively. They say even in winter months the solar power harnessed will shave more than 90 percent off the operating costs of an all electric system.
Construction on Modern Residential City and the MEI water system is to start later this year in the Al-Musafah area of Abu Dhabi.
MEI is based in Amman, with offices and operations throughout the Middle East. Founded in 2002, they have installed solar water solutions for hotels, factories, and residential projecst throughout the Middle East. Catalyst Private Equity is the largest investor in MEI.
Author: Tyson Herberger
After a stint deep-frying foods, Tyson’s second ever job was as a radio announcer. Since then, a passion for news, community and the environment pushed him through the Center for Environmental Citizenship’s Environmental Journalism Academy and National Public Radio’s Next Generation Radio – not to mention high school and university diplomas. With credentials like those under his belt he was able to get a part-time gig as a newsreader while working a day job in urban renewal. Eventually he gave up community organizing for a full-time career in journalism and media management with assignments in North America, Europe and the Middle East for a variety of radio, web and other endeavors, including Primedia’s now defunct RAM-FM. He’s also an avid hobby photographer Tyson can be reached at tyson (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
Great idea…
This is great idea because when it use use solar water it is prevent lots of pollution.
This is great idea to create the biggest solar powered hot water. How long it will run this project?
Great idea. I live in Arizona and it’s a crime that we spend one cent to heat water!
Great post!