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The pavilion of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) TASMU (SMART Qatar) recorded the longest independent concrete structure built using 3D printing technology.
According to the Qatari News Agency (QNA), the pavilion of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) TASMU (SMART Qatar) has entered the Guinness World Records Book as the longest independent concrete structure built using 3D printing technology.
On this occasion, HE Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Mannai stated that the Guinness World Record is not only a symbol of innovation and achievement, but also a testimony to the State of Qatar’s commitment to transcending all boundaries in the field of technology – promoting fruitful cooperation and providing innovations that improve peoples lives. The MCIT pavilion is tangible evidence of the technological progress witnessed by the State of Qatar, where traditional values are in harmony with advanced technology to meet global challenges.
The Ministry’s pavilion was built on an area of 170 square meters with a height of 12.4 meters, and was designed in the form of a tower consisting of ten levels with seven bricks in each row. It was built from 75 individually 3D printed pieces, as “an ideal example of fruitful cooperation between different talents and experiences, and a living example of transforming ambitious visions into tangible reality,” according to the QNA.
MCIT is actively contributing to Expo 2023 Doha as an event that is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and focuses on sustainability and innovation. The Ministry’s pavilion represents its commitment to providing technology-based solutions and enhancing efforts made in support of sustainability endeavors that are in the interest of residents, citizens, companies, and visitors in the State of Qatar.
Recently, Qatari students – Mohammad Fadhel Annan and Lujain Al Mansoori – were awarded 25,000 QAR from a Qatar Development Bank (QDB) competition for their 3D printed vegetable development, in which they used a custom-made 3D printer and a combination of artificially grown vegetable cells and UV-sensitive 3D printer ink.
The London-born aspiring actress has a deep appreciation for her Moroccan heritage – which may explain why migration is an issue so close to her heart.
Nora Attal has the index finger of one manicured hand extended across the bridge of her nose, and the straightest face she can muster in the circumstances.
It started as an attempt to brush aside the fuss made about her eyebrows, which are, according to various beholders, glorious, serious, stunning, bold, thick, enviable and — somewhat at odds — natural and well groomed.
But now the British-Moroccan fashion model is mulling over a new signature look. “Oh, no! They’re just hair on my face,” Attal tells The National, embarrassed and amused by the attention. “I get them from my Dad — he has very bushy eyebrows.
“If I didn’t groom them, they would be a monobrow. Actually, I saw the film Frida yesterday. It was incredible. I think,” she pauses to regard the mocked-up effect in the zoom camera, “I might just do that … grow a monobrow.”
Perhaps such thinking is to be expected after a 48-hour infusion of cultural rebellion. The day before watching the biopic on the hirsute and indomitable Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, Attal was celebrating turning 23 at her first ever music festival near her home in Spain.
There, she was among the crowd asked by flamboyant American rapper and actress Megan Thee Stallion to make a particular gesture of protest to the US Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade.
“Megan Thee Stallion’s my new icon,” Attal, an enthusiastic gesticulator in daily life, says, “but who I look up to evolves all the time.”
She favours strong, not-so-silent types. Michelle Obama, the former first lady of the US, was top for a while for always telling it as it is — “I still respect her a lot” — along with actor, musician and serial disrupter Riz Ahmed and the Arab writer and women’s rights champion Leila Slimani.
“People like this, I love. I really try to take in their energy,” she says.
It’s a fighting spirit that Attal herself embodied recently when Maria Grazia Chiuri, the creative director of the French fashion house Dior, reportedly said that “models don’t represent women … the model is only a girl who passes in front of you”.
Having walked the runway for Dior 20 times since Chiuri took over, an indignant Attal vented on her Instagram stories, posting: ‘And to hear that I’m not a woman … she is very vocal about her feminism narrative, yet so archaic in thinking that models should only be hangers”.
“Coming into adulthood has been quite nice,” she tells The National. “I understand myself more and, because of modelling, I’ve travelled such a long time alone, experienced a lot, and I’ve maybe grown up quicker.
“I’m definitely more confident, like the way I speak to adults in the industry.”
She recalls being a shy, studious little girl, born in London to two Moroccan parents, Charhabil (Charlie) and Bouchra, and growing up on a council estate in Battersea until the family moved to Surrey.
Sport was an outlet, sometimes whether she liked it or not because of her talent for everything from gymnastics, basketball and tennis to golf and representing her county in long-jump.
Saturday mornings in the house were full of music, regularly featuring Michael Jackson, Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross, to whose live performance Attal would dance the night away at a star-studded after party in Marrakech a decade later.
The walls of her childhood bedroom were plastered with magazine covers and fashion campaigns, America’s Next Top Model was the programme of choice, and she would doodle clothes on mannequins in English class instead of writing, say, the set essay on Thomas Hardy.
Yet the industry wasn’t one that young Nora easily identified with or conceived of entering, not least because “there weren’t many people who looked like me”.
“I don’t think she would have ever imagined anything like this,” Attal says, her hands making an all-compassing vertical circle in the air. “Ever, ever, ever.”
It wasn’t long, though, before the striking 12-year-old in blue Converse trainers and a hoodie was first spotted while out in a shopping mall.
“My Dad said ‘yeah, no’ when I went to see the agency,” she remembers with a smile, “and I really appreciate that now …
“It’s tough. I don’t think that young girls should be working in such an adult industry, which doesn’t have a union or HR department that you can go to.”
Modelling, it seems, wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Two years later, the British fashion and documentary photographer Jamie Hawkesworth turned up at her high school, casting for a JW Anderson campaign.
Attal subsequently debuted as Anderson’s muse, dubbed “the mystery girl”, and spent the next few years fitting fashion shows and shoots around education, poring over textbooks while waiting at castings or back stage after hair and make-up.
A fortnight before receiving her A-Level results in History, Psychology and Art at Ewell Castle School, the September issue of British Vogue landed in newsagents with Attal on the cover beside Kate Moss, Edie Campbell, Stella Tennant and Jean Campbell.
The avid true-crime fan was offered a place at Greenwich to study criminology but “took a gap year, deferred it and then dropped it”.
“Working in this industry, I can see that almost anything is possible if you put your mind to it,” she says. “I think everyone should know that.
“My family, being Moroccan, would have loved it if I became a doctor or a lawyer or a pharmacist, and had a normal life but you should do what makes you happy — and you will be successful.”
Represented by Viva Model Management, her own success can be measured by the fact that it would be faster to name the exclusive brands, designers, magazines and celebrity photographers that she hasn’t collaborated with than those she has.
Her brown doe-like eyes, long dark hair and slender 5ft 10in figure quickly became a mainstay on the global circuit in an ascent likened to that of Gigi Hadid.
As with Hadid, she has come to treasure her Mena heritage, and an appreciation has deepened over the years for the hardships that her parents overcame as immigrants “for me to get where I am”.
“It is really important for me to remind myself of that,” she says.
It makes her all the more sensitive to the migration issues prevalent in the UK, particularly the controversial policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda. She has just sent an email opposing the plan to her local MP in England, and urged her 71,000 Instagram followers to do the same.
“I think it’s terrible, I really do. My mum has friends from Syria and Iraq. It could be anyone. Even if you don’t have Syrian friends or Iraqi friends, it’s just a basic human right.”
She talks about what it has meant to have been able to incorporate her North African roots into modelling work many times during a vibrant career.
The editor of Vogue Arabia, Manuel Arnaut, described her as “cool, contemporary and a great ambassador of the Arab world” when she graced the December 2017 cover in a Berber ceremonial headpiece.
Among several shoots with the noted American photographer Steven Meisel was one set against the dunes of the Sahara, and she has traversed a catwalk at El Badi Palace in Marrakech.
But perhaps her favourite fashion “story” ever was for a Vogue Italia issue devoted to DNA. The editorial team descended on Attal’s ancestral home in Larache, near Tangier, where she has spent two months every year since she was a toddler.
Her abiding memories of those visits are the aromas of tagine and couscous emanating from the kitchen of her grandmother, Fatna, and forays to the picturesque old town of Chefchaouen in the surrounding hills or along the coastline in search of quiet bays.
This time, though, Fatna lined up in the family living room next to Attal, her brother, Adam, sister, Yesmin, and parents, all dressed top to toe in Chanel for a black and white photo shoot.
“My grandma had never seen anything like it in her life,” she says, fondly. “She thought it was quite strange but was excited. She really loved it.”
More recently, her extended family fronted Ralph Lauren’s holiday campaign for Eid in a video clip that also included Attal’s then fiance, Victor Bastidas, a director and cinematographer 10 years her senior.
The couple met on location at the 16th-century Samode Palace nestled in the ancient Aravalli hills outside Jaipur, but it is all a bit of a blur to Attal now.
What stands out most is being photographed aged 17 by Mario Testino alongside an elephant painted with orange and pink food dye, and embellished in heavy jewellery.
“Arrrgh!,” she says, reliving the excitement and leaning back to show the proximity with her hands. “I shot with an elephant in real life that had to be just here.”
Happily, Bastidas and Attal bonded years later in London over their mutual love for the music written and performed by Thom Yorke for Luca Guadagnino’s supernatural horror film Suspiria, and began dating just before the coronavirus tightened its grip on the world.
Their fairy-tale wedding was held a few months ago at Cortijo San Francisco, a 1,900-square-metre “farmhouse” in Estepona, near Marbella, built as a refuge by the Hollywood actor Stewart Granger who starred in King Solomon’s Mines with Deborah Kerr.
There is a picture from the day of an ornate Mexican fireplace that would have dominated the room until Attal, in strappy skyscraper heels and a breathtaking Lanvin gown, stepped down a narrow passageway into the scene.
The pandemic has marked many other new beginnings for Attal. She did a Run for Heroes in support of the NHS, painted and made lino prints, learnt to cook (pizza, ramen noodles from scratch, a mean carrot cake), and moved to Barcelona for the fresh air and to be closer to nature.
At such a time, it is unsurprising that someone whose favourite poem is William Blake’s Auguries of Innocence — “To see a World in a Grain of Sand. And Heaven in a Wild Flower …” — began to consider the wider picture.
“It was a very big reset. It made me sit down and think about what I wanted to do with my life,” Attal says.
The answer was to act, and she has just graduated from the prestigious Baron Brown Studio in California after two years of studying the Meisner technique over the internet.
Asked if she’s thought much about who she would like to work with, Attal whips out her phone. “Yes, I have lists for everything. A list of directors, of actors, films that I like, references of things.”
For the record, Guadagnino is director number one, leading, in no particular order, Todd Phillips, Pedro Almodovar, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson and the Iranian Asghar Farhadi, “though I don’t speak Farsi, but…,” she says, trailing off hopefully.
Whether theatre or independent film, Attal doesn’t mind. Just having undertaken the training is, she believes, her biggest triumph, which is saying something.
“I’m actually very proud of myself for going back to school, even though it’s on Zoom or it’s not necessarily as heavy as being a doctor.
“I’m doing things that maybe I wouldn’t have done before. I’ve taken the step to tell agents and brands that ‘No, I can’t do that job because I’m studying acting’, and I’m putting my foot down. I think, before, I doubted my abilities, and now I’m like: ‘Yeah, just do it, why not?’”
It is hard not to wonder where Attal’s forthright tendency, fervour and self-determination, so unusual in a young woman in her early 20s, come from.
A clue may lie in a single line buried among the Moroccan press coverage that describes her paternal great-grandfather as a revolutionary, poet and director. The snippet is, it has to be said, uncorroborated, but sounds just about right.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has announced Prof. Lina Ghotmeh, architect and professor of architecture, as the winner of the first Great Arab Minds (GAM) award in the architecture and design category, in recognition of her timeless contributions to global architecture.
In a tweet published on his official X account, Sheikh Mohammed congratulated Prof. Ghotmeh on winning the first award in this category of GAM, the Arab world’s largest movement launched in 2022 to search for exceptional Arab talents in various fields. Prof. Ghotmeh’s insightful work and research highlight the intimate relationship between architecture and nature.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed said that architecture and architectural landmarks are the foundation of the distinguishing features that set cities and communities apart, and the building blocks of their identities and values, making them easily recognised. He added that they are also timeless tales of the creative outputs of humanity and the rise of civilisations.
Prof. Ghotmeh has a remarkable track record in her field. She has overseen the development of over 65 global architectural projects, including renowned museums, exhibitions and cultural buildings. More specifically, Ghotmeh conducts in-depth analyses of environments and meticulously selects materials that are not only suitable for each setting but also capable of withstanding harsh conditions. Her unique approach ensures that all her projects are evolved and practical outcomes of her research on coexisting with nature and the surrounding environment.
Among Prof. Ghotmeh’s most notable works is a building near the industrial port of Beirut, which survived the 2020 Beirut explosion, having been designed using innovative techniques and select local materials.
The Bahr El-Baqar wastewater treatment plant is a joint venture between the Arab Contractors Company and Orascom Construction.
The Bahr El Baqar wastewater treatment plant, located in the northern governorate of Port Said, was recently inaugurated by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. A joint venture between the Arab Contractors Company and Orascom Construction it is the largest of its kind worldwide with a daily production capacity of 5.6 million cubic meters.
It is equipped with advanced operating systems for pumping raw water, flocculation, decantation, filtration and disinfection. The plant will recover the wastewater that flows along the Bahr Al-Baqar drain. The triple-treated water will be transferred to North Sinai in order to contribute to the reclamation of agricultural land within the framework of the national project for the development of Sinai and to support making the best use of the state’s water resources.
The Bahr El Baqar wastewater treatment plant holds three Guinness World Records: It’s the world’s largest water treatment facility, the largest sludge treatment plant and the largest single-operator ozone generating plant.
Saudi Arabia has the competitive advantage of becoming a global leader in green minerals, according to the vice minister for mining affairs at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.
Addressing a news conference for the third edition of the Future Minerals Forum scheduled from Jan. 9-11 in Riyadh, Khalid Al-Mudaifer emphasized that the Kingdom holds a unique competitive edge as a central hub for mineral processing encompassing green minerals, steels, aluminum, copper and magnesium.
“Saudi Arabia is a place to convene the world. Our demand for minerals and our transformation in minerals make us the place for the convening,” Al-Mudaifer told Arab News in an interview.
He also underlined that the Kingdom boasts substantial natural resources estimated to be around $1.3 trillion.
A significant share of these resources includes phosphate, constituting 25 percent of the estimated wealth.
“Saudi Arabia is the third largest producer of phosphate fertilizer … this is considered almost 7 percent of the world,” Al-Mudaifer asserted.
Reaffirming the Kingdom’s competitive advantages, Al-Mudaifer also underscored that the process of making phosphate involves specific infrastructure needs, including gas for ammonia and nitrogen production and sulfur, which Aramco produces through its oil and gas operations.
These competitive advantages have enabled the Kingdom to build its phosphate industry on the back of investments of over SR60 billion ($16.2 billion).
“We have announced, or there is work to enable phosphate four and three, for which another SR40 billion will be invested in the future,” Al-Mudaifer added.
The goal is to position the Kingdom as the second or third-largest supplier of phosphate fertilizers globally.
Additionally, he noted that the private sector has played a significant role, investing more than SR120 billion in these initiatives.
At the same time, the government has also contributed over SR50 billion to enhance and support the growth of the phosphate industry.
This approach illustrates a collaborative effort between the private and public sectors to boost Saudi Arabia’s capabilities and competitiveness in the global phosphate fertilizer market.
During the news conference, Al-Mudaifer revealed that 95 countries and over 20 organizations worldwide will participate in the FMF.
“For the first time, we will have the Saudi Geological Survey participate in this conference,” he said, adding that there would be over 75 sessions from Jan. 10-11.
In October, during the Middle East and North Africa Climate Week 2023, Al-Mudaifer highlighted Saudi Arabia’s strategy for becoming a powerhouse in the sector, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
He emphasized that by leveraging the Kingdom’s strategic location, advanced infrastructure and strong local demand, the government is charting a path toward securing the minerals necessary for its national industrial transformation.
“Saudi Arabia is committed to the transition to green energy, as demonstrated by the development of a mining and mineral industries strategy designed to address critical challenges,” he had said then.
The Kingdom has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. It has undertaken $1 billion of climate change initiatives to hit this target, including working toward a regional carbon capture and storage center, an early storm warning hub and cloud seeding programs.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Khalid Al-Mudaifer emphasized that the Kingdom holds a unique competitive edge as a central hub for mineral processing encompassing green minerals, steels, aluminum, copper and magnesium. AN
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has announced Dr. Mohamed El-Erian, President of Queens’ College at Cambridge University, as the winner of the first Great Arab Minds (GAM) award in the economics category, in recognition of his incredible contributions to the field of economics and his perceptive analysis of changes in economic and financial systems.
Announcing this in a tweet on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Sheikh Mohammed stated that economics has always been the foundation for stability and growth and the catalyst for innovative and developmental efforts that benefit both individuals and communities.
He noted that creativity in the field of economics is a driver of intellectual progress, prosperity and international cooperation, with ambitious economic visions serving as the main pillar in driving development, building the future of nations and boosting fruitful cultural and civilisational exchange.
An economist with an undergraduate degree from Queens’ and a DPhil from Oxford, Mohamed El-Erian previously served as chief executive officer and co-chief investment officer of Pimco, Deputy Director at the International Monetary Fund, Chair of President Obama’s Global Development Council and President of Harvard Management Company.
Throughout his career, Dr. El-Erian has been involved with universities and think tanks around the world, including his roles at the University of Pennsylvania as the Rene M. Kern Professor of Practice at the Wharton School of and Senior Global Fellow at the Lauder Institute.
After years of dedicated learning and professional experience, he emerged as an outstanding consultant providing services to prestigious financial institutions such as Allianz and Gramercy Funds Management. Additionally, he has been an active contributor to several non-profit organizations, including the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Dr. Mohamed El-Erian’s impact on the field of economics extends beyond his corporate and institutional work. His written works and research have yielded a wealth of advice, insights, and economic concepts, establishing them as key references in economics, finance, and business. Among his well-known books are ‘When Markets Collide’ (2008), ‘The Only Game in Town’ (2016), and his latest collaborative work, ‘Permacrisis: A Plan to Fix a Fractured World’ co-authored with esteemed economic experts. Furthermore, Dr. Mohamed El-Erian is recognized as a prominent contributor and editor for Financial Times and Bloomberg.
Owing to his intellectual prowess, he has been named one of the ‘Top 100 Global Thinkers’ for four consecutive years by ‘Foreign Policy’ magazine.
In addition to presenting innovative theories on global economic matters, Dr. El-Erian is widely acknowledged as a leading expert in the realm of global capital markets. He is notably credited with introducing the concept of the “new normal”, a term characterising the state of the global economy post the global financial crisis.
source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)
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Mohamed A. el Erian, Managing Director, Co-Chief Information, Officer, Pacific IINvestment Management Company, USA, at the Summit on the Global Agenda, 07 November – 09 November 2008. Copyright World Economic Forum (www.weforum.org)/Photo by Norbert Schiller / wikipedia.com
The news follows a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2022 between the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the IAEA.
Morocco and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed an agreement for the Rabat-based Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah National Oncology Institute, which is affiliated with the Ibn Sina University Hospital, to become a collaborating center for the IAEA.
IAEA made the announcement was made on Friday. The Moroccan institution was elected as an IAEA collaborating center during the 67th regular session of the IAEA General Conference held in Vienna from September 25 to 29.
The news constitutes a recognition of Morocco’s commitment to advancing nuclear sciences in Africa, improving access to cancer treatments, and combating animal-transmitted diseases across the continent.
Khalid Ait Taleb, the Minister of Health and Social Protection, presided over the official announcement ceremony, emphasizing that the IAEA’s accreditation is an acknowledgment of the institute’s prolonged dedication to battling cancer.
He praised the institute’s exceptional staff and expertise having elevated its standards to a commendable level of quality.
Maintaining the prestigious accreditation in the upcoming years is now a primary challenge, Minister Ait Taleb stressed. He underscored the institute’s pivotal role in combating cancer and nurturing medical expertise in the field, both nationally and continentally.
For his part, Director-General Raouf Mohsine of the Ibn Sina University Hospital in Rabat emphasized the profound significance of this election within Morocco and across the continent.
This recognition is a source of immense pride for Morocco amid ongoing reforms in the national healthcare system, he said. The milestone follows a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2022 between the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the IAEA, through which the two institutions committed to reinforcing collaboration in the fight against cancer and zoonotic diseases.
source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (edited)
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Morocco and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
NEOM’s water and electricity subsidiary ENOWA has developed a blueprint for the world’s first renewable, high-voltage smart grid, Peter Terium, the company’s CEO, told Arab News.
In an interview on the sidelines of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, Terium said that the “grid of microgrids” will allow ENOWA to supply the NEOM region with sizable, 100 percent renewable electricity that simultaneously provides a 50 percent reduction of the corridor footprint.
According to the CEO, the principle of smart grids is simple, as they are traditionally used on a small scale in buildings. However, the sheer size of the development and the scope of coverage needed for the nine to 10 million individuals who will be residing in NEOM adds to the difficulty of the undertaking.
“That’s a huge achievement given it’s the size that makes it complex. You know, one windmill, a refrigerator, and a television are all 100 percent renewable. But a NEOM within the Kingdom that eventually is going to have nine to 10 million inhabitants. That’s very sizable,” Terium said.
In order to ensure minimum disturbance to the natural terrain and minimize visual disruption, the CEO noted that this would require limiting the number of corridors and implementing part of the grid to operate underground.
To achieve 100 percent renewable electricity in NEOM, Terium emphasized the crucial role of an efficient grid, highlighting that individuals often underestimate that all solar and wind farms require connectivity to “bring the electrons to the customer.”
Another key element, the CEO underscored, is storage. In order to ensure the stabilization, backup, and security of its renewable supply, the giga-project is implementing a portfolio of storage solutions.
The development is investing “billions and billions of Saudi riyals” to ensure that its first customers have access to green electricity, sustainable water, and reliable quality electricity through its grid and storage.
“One example is already for sure and we are expanding into the market with that, which is the world’s largest closed-loop pump, hydro storage, and it combines the traditional form of water-based hydro storage, so a small upper lake and a lower lake,” Terium said.
“That has two effects. First of all, it reduces the evaporation of the water. So that’s an economic effect. But the second effect is that it is a great attractor for birds. Birds and wildlife. So we have a major positive solution for storage that is pretty sizable, the largest in the world,” he added.
Considering the challenges ahead, the CEO highlighted that the development isn’t exclusively centered on creating new technologies. Instead, their key focus is to ensure that the electricity supplied to the NEOM region is renewable, dependable, and affordable.
While not entirely cheap, mature large-scale solar and wind technologies remain affordable, underscored Terium, and will thus be primarily implemented into the framework of connectivity used by the futuristic city.
“The NEOM region has a combination of very intensive solar irradiation and very abundant wind profiling — the solar during the day and the wind mainly in the evening. That makes it a perfect combination to take these two cheapest renewable technologies and get as much as possible out of them,” he outlined.
While the existing infrastructure for electricity amounted to half a gigawatt to 1 GW, the company has “ramped that up” to 3 GW with the aim of 5-6 GW in the near future.
According to Terium, the first tenders of solar and wind power plants have already been established, and the large green hydrogen plant being built will amount to 5-6 GW of installed capacity for power generation by the year 2026.
Due to the size of the NEOM development, the executive underscored that ENOWA is currently at about 5 percent completion of its infrastructure, with the goal of accelerating to 10 percent in the coming 12 to 18 months.
He said: “NEOM is going to be a large undertaking. And what we do is build the infrastructure in line with the growth of NEOM. So that’s why the percentage of 5 or 10 percent sounds low, but it is connected to the size, eventually, of NEOM. And then again, five or 10 eventually of a massive undertaking is already a huge project.”
The company is working with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Energy and collaborating with entities like the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in its energy-centric ventures. Alongside KAUST, ENOWA will be installing the first carbon capture capacity into a gas-fired plant in the Kingdom. The executive said: “That is one example, but there are many other ones and all the institutions that are there in the Kingdom we work with, but also outside of the Kingdom.”
Through collaboration, it hopes to bring some of its ideas on how to scale renewable energy to the region through its renewable energy approaches and Saudi Arabia’s green hydrogen strategy, a part of which is the NEOM green hydrogen plant.
Terium said: “The Kingdom has now embarked upon a hydrogen strategy and a renewable energy strategy, but it may take advantage of some of the lessons learned that we had in the early stage. And we can bring in some of our ideas of how you can do that bigger and at a larger scale.”
What is important, according to the CEO, is that hydrogen needs to reach its customers, and there are more cost-effective solutions than shipping it in the form of ammonia.
Thus the decision to build a pipeline corridor infrastructure to Europe is something “that only a country like Saudi Arabia can do because that’s a job and a size which is even way too big for even NEOM.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has inaugurated the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) project in the world, within the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.
The 950-megawatt (MW) fourth phase is the largest investment project that uses three hybrid technologies: 600MW from a parabolic basin complex, 100MW from the CSP tower, and 250MW from photovoltaic solar panels. Built at an investment of AED15.78 billion, using the independent power producer (IPP) model, the project features the tallest solar tower in the world, at 263.126 metres, and the largest thermal energy storage capacity with a capacity of 5,907 megawatt hours (MWh), according to the Guinness World Records.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai said, “The UAE has a clear vision to transform itself into one of the world’s most sustainable nations. Our journey towards sustainability is comprehensive, encompassing advanced clean energy projects across diverse renewable sources, and innovative solutions integrated into various spheres of the economy and society. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is at the heart of Dubai and the UAE’s commitment to create a world-class infrastructure for sustainability and a robust foundation for building an environmentally friendly future. Coming at the culmination of the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, the launch of the fourth phase of the Solar Park is an important milestone in our sustainability journey. Our success in creating the world’s largest concentrated solar project underscores our determination to advance climate action and aligns with the goals of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), which the UAE is currently hosting. Driven by the objectives of the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategy, we continue to expand our sustainable energy mix and embrace renewable and alternative energies, shaping not only our nation’s future but also contributing significantly to the global effort to combat climate change. Our dedication to sustainability is a testament to our resolve to contribute to fostering a resilient and prosperous future for all of humanity.”
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was accompanied by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy; H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Ports and Borders Security Council and a number of ministers, director generals of Dubai government departments and senior officials.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was welcomed by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was briefed about the project by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). The fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which covers an area of 44 square kilometres, uses three hybrid technologies: 600MW from a parabolic basin complex, 100MW from the CSP tower, and 250MW from photovoltaic solar panels. The project features 70,000 heliostats that track the sun’s movement. The Molten Salt Receiver (MSR) on top of the solar power tower is the core and the most important part of the CSP plant. It receives solar radiation and turns it into thermal energy. The MSR contains over 1,000 thin tubes that enable the absorption of sun rays and their transfer to the molten salt within these tubes. This project will provide approximately 320,000 residences with clean and sustainable energy. It will reduce carbon emissions by about 1.6 million tonnes annually, enhancing Dubai’s position as a leading global hub in clean, renewable energy and climate action.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said, “President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has emphasised that the UAE’s commitment to protecting the environment and supporting global action to achieve sustainability is firm, continuous, and effective for the benefit of its people and the service of humanity. Furthermore, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has constantly reiterated the UAE’s determination to be at the forefront of global efforts to create a more sustainable future for all of humanity by taking concrete action to transition to renewable energies. At the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, we follow the vision and directives of the leadership to increase the share of clean and renewable energy sources to achieve the goals of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. We have already achieved the interim goals of this strategy in record time.”
Al Tayer explained in his speech at the inauguration that the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park was based on the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to implement this project to be a global landmark that sets higher standards of excellence than similar projects worldwide. He emphasised that this project would not have been possible without His Highness’s support to implement the project according to world-leading benchmarks of efficiency and performance. The project features the tallest CSP tower and the largest single-site thermal energy storage in the world, as well as the lowest cost to produce renewable energy round the clock.
“The vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to enhance the share of clean and renewable energy, have contributed to making Dubai a global hub for the green economy and a global role model in the sustainable transition to clean energy. This has been achieved through pioneering strategies and projects driven by advanced research and development, Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, digital transformation, and the latest renewable and clean energy technologies. Through the IPP model, DEWA has achieved the lowest global prices, making Dubai a benchmark for solar energy project prices worldwide,” said Al Tayer.
“The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park supports the efforts of the UAE, which has one of the world’s largest investments in clean energy projects, and is currently hosting the UN Climate Change conference, COP28, in Expo City Dubai. This underlines the UAE’s firm commitment to sustainable development and protecting the environment and natural resources for us and for generations to come. The solar park whose current capacity has reached 2,627MW, is the cornerstone to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 percent of the energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050,” added Al Tayer.
Al Tayer commended the efforts of DEWA’s partners in implementing this pioneering project according to the highest international standards and using the most advanced technologies. A consortium led by DEWA and Saudi Arabi’s ACWA Power established Noor Energy 1 as a project company to design, build, and operate the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. DEWA holds a 51 percent stake in the company, ACWA Power holds 25 percent, and the Chinese Silk Road Fund owns 24 percent
“Guided by the leadership and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai is paving the way for a sustainable future. It is transforming into a global centre for green economy by continuing its efforts to achieve the goals of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050. Inaugurating the world’s largest single-site CSP plant during COP28 demonstrates our commitment to our strategy to increase the use of clean and renewable energy sources. The project is also a significant milestone in DEWA’s success, and we are proud to be a part of it. This is part of our long-term partnership that we began in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, leading to the opening of the fourth phase we are witnessing today in Noor Energy 1 project,” said Mohammad Abunayyan, Chairman of ACWA Power.
“We are proud of our contribution to achieving the ambitious vision of the leadership in cooperation with our partners in DEWA. Our key role, through the qualitative projects that we operate and manage in UAE, confirms the extent of the efforts, expertise and financial capabilities of our partners in DEWA and the Silk Road Fund. Together, we have been able to set new standards for CSP generation using the latest technological innovations in this project, such as the solar tower technology and parabolic panels that use CSP to produce energy 24 hours a day. Additionally, the plant’s capacity is enhanced with photovoltaic solar panels to produce 950 megawatts. This is the only single-site project in the world that includes all these technologies. It also features the largest solar energy storage capacity in the world,” added Abunayyan.
“Through collaboration and innovation, we pave the way for sustainable energy solutions that push boundaries and drive progress. As we celebrate the opening of Noor Energy 1, we affirm our commitment to a brighter and cleaner future for future generations,” said Zhu Jun, Chairwoman of Silk Road Fund.
“We are honoured to be part of this huge cooperation between DEWA and ACWA Power. Together, we are setting a new standard for innovation and sustainability. This achievement is a milestone in the development of sustainable energy in the region and confirms the commitment to promoting energy solutions. The successful completion of this project is a testament to the dedication and expertise of all partners and sets a commendable precedent for future renewable energy initiatives,” added Zhu Jun.
Three combined technologies
The fourth phase of the Solar Park uses three hybrid technologies to produce clean energy: 600MW from a parabolic basin complex (three units of 200MW each), 100MW from the world’s tallest solar power tower (based on Molten Salt technology), and 250MW from photovoltaic solar panels. The Molten Salt Receiver (MSR) on top of the solar power tower is the core and most important part of the CSP plant. It receives solar radiation and turns it into thermal energy. The MSR contains over 1,000 thin tubes that enable the absorption of sun rays and their transfer to the molten salt within these tubes.
The ship is the first of its kind to be built entirely by the Alexandria Shipyard in Egypt.
Egypt’s Alexandria shipyard made history, as it launched the fourth and final MEKO A200 frigate, named ‘Sajm Al-Jabbar’ for the Egyptian Navy. This frigate holds significant importance as it is not only the largest locally produced combat vessel but also the first of its kind to be constructed in Egypt under the Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) license.
The ship was unveiled in a ceremony held during the EDEX 2023 defense exhibition at Egypt International Exhibition Center in Cairo, with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in attendance as the chief guest alongside other high-ranking officials.
Egypt had placed an order for four identical frigates, with the first three units being built in Germany, while the final ship was constructed at the Alexandria shipyard in Egypt. The construction contract was signed back in September 2018.
