Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, September 17, 2012 — Abu Dhabi is set to pilot a microgrid powered by renewable electricity, as part of a new public-private partnership between the Global Green Growth Institute, Masdar Institute and South Korea's Research Institute for industrial Science and Technology. The project is being supported by around $1 million in funding from GGGI and steel producer POSCO.
The research project will be coordinated by GGGI, and will use the expertise of Masdar Institute to design and simulate microgrids with renewable energy.
During the launch of the partnership, the project team demonstrated a conceptual design for an island-based renewable microgrid. This involved a control system, energy storage and a high-efficiency DC distribution system, and was designed to integrate solar photovoltaic, small wind power and biofuel production from waste and algae.
The microgrid system can be linked to local seawater desalination and electric powered boats for island access.
RIST executive VP Dr Hee Don Chun said: "The UAE project will benefit from the outcomes of research already conducted on Jeju Island, South Korea and we are confident the expertise from Masdar Institute will further stimulate innovation in micro-grids which is optimized in MENA region environment. In addition, RIST will seek further opportunities for collaboration with MI in terms of green technology research based on each institute's core competence."
Source: Electric, Light and Power