This is the second year that Masdar has hosted Green Prophet at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES). Last year we visited Shams I, the world’s largest CSP plant, more state-of-the art green buildings at Masdar City, and we saw an Estidama green villa prototype.

Read on to find out what is on this year’s agenda.

This is the 7th year that Masdar has hosted WFES in Abu Dhabi. Last year, a record 30,000 people from 155 countries attended what has become known as one of the most influential gatherings of industry, policy and thought leaders.

In addition to the Zayed Future Energy Prize (ZFEP) awards ceremony, which Jordan’s Queen Rania attended last year, and the second International Water Summit (IWS), a couple of new items have been added to this year’s program.

For the first time, Masdar is hosting EcoWASTE – a new regional platform designed to bring together local and international providers, buyers, and industry professionals from the waste management and recycling sector in order to support the burgeoning problem of waste disposal and recycling in the Middle East.

This is particularly interesting for us at Green Prophet, since we have observed how poor waste management in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and elsewhere has wrought devastating social and environmental consequences.

The Zabaleen fill a gap in Cairo by recycling waste in Garbage City, but it isn’t certain that such a model can be implemented throughout the region or that it should be. So we are very excited to see and share what innovative ideas and waste management policies are in the pipeline.

This year we have also been invited to attend the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)’s General Assembly Meeting on Saadiyat Island. (With any luck, we will catch a glimpse of Louvre Abu Dhabi, which finally broke ground last year.)

In addition to presenting REMAP 2030, a program designed to increase the global renewable energy share to 30 percent by 2030 and achieve the United Nation’s goal to provide “Sustainable Energy for All,” IRENA will announce the first six recipients of loans from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).

The UAE has committed to spend up to $350 million on renewable energy projects in developing countries, a process that is moderated by IRENA.

The group, which is building its new headquarters at Masdar City, conducts a thorough selection and review process that ensures the funds will go to projects that have both technical and commercial merit and will have a substantial socio-economic impact. These projects are expected to be transformative, replicable and innovative.

After the meeting, we hope to compile an overview of IRENA’s selection process so that other innovators might be inspired to present their projects for future funding cycles.

We hope to pop into GE’s new Ecomagination Center and Siemens recently completed headquarters at Masdar City and meet with the next generation of renewable energy experts at the Green Career Fair.

Stay tuned as we bring daily reports from this year’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).

Lead image via WFES photo gallery

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Do you dream about working towards a greener future in the Middle East but simply don’t know where the good jobs are? If so, you might want to head over to the 7th World Future Energy Summit (WFES), where Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and Reed Exhibitions are hosting a “Green Career Fair.”

Since green jobs are something of a new thing in the Middle East and North Africa, it may be hard for some people to know where to find them.

The Green Career Fair provides a platform for potential employers and employees to meet, and on site workshops, a Career Advice Desk, and HR professionals will provide insight into the kinds of jobs that are available in the renewable energy field in particular.

In addition to providing a map to green jobs for people seeking work, the fair allows companies who are seeking skilled employees to advertise current openings and interview people directly at the fair. This process helps cut down the cost and time typically associated with attending and conducting numerous interviews.

“Platforms such as the Green Career Fair offer emerging clean energy professionals the right channel for their professional development through engaging with industries in the field to discuss future trends in clean energy capacity building,” said Dr Behjat Al Yousuf, Masdar Institute’s dean of students.

Naji El Haddad, who is the director of WFES, noted that the fair offers the ideal setting to bring together people who are either directly or indirectly involved in the renewable energy sector, and those who wish to be.

“Building sustainable communities across the Mena region is of vital economic and strategic importance for future sustainability,” said El Haddad. “There is an increasing need for youth to develop careers in renewable energy sectors.”

Three companies who will be present at the fair include Eden Energy Group, Microsol, and Acwa Power. In addition to advertising available jobs, they are also interested to convince young graduates and professionals of the benefits of getting involved with the green economy, as opposed to the fossil fuel industry, for example.

“It is a proven fact that renewables, with particular reference to distributed generation, create the maximum local jobs per megawatt,” said J Vishwanathan, Microsol’s director. “This was proven even in high-cost countries such as Germany and Japan. The same is relevant to MENA.”

The Green Career Fair will be co-located with the second edition of the International Water Summit and the inaugural EcoWASTE exhibition, also hosted by Masdar, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, from January 20-22, 2014.

Green Prophet will be there, so be sure to pop on by to say hello.

Image of male engineer via Shutterstock

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