Masdar, Abu Dhabi's multi-faceted renewable energy company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala), and Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management, today announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement covering broad partnership initiatives between the two entities. Schneider Electric will provide energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for Masdar City - the 6-sq-km clean-technology cluster in Abu Dhabi. The mutual agreement outlines the delivery of a “living laboratory” Innovation Center at Masdar City that will incorporate both a Research and Development Facility and a Technical Center of Excellence. The R&D facility will focus on long-term sustainable technology research in Green Buildings (energy efficiency initiatives), Smart Grids (city-wide management system), Water (district cooling, treatment plants) and ICT (data centers, smart buildings). The center of excellence will be a laboratory addressing current design practices utilized in Masdar City with the view to ensuring optimum efficiency and integration. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive officer of Masdar, said: “At the heart of the Masdar City project is a commitment to partnering with leading industry players, such as Schneider Electric, to bring the latest technologies and newest ideas to help the city achieve its ambitious sustainability goals. As both a clean-tech cluster and sustainable community, Masdar City will be a global center of research, development and real-world testing of cutting-edge renewable energy and demand reduction technologies Schneider Electric's presence in the city will catalyze the development of the clean technology cluster in Abu Dhabi.” The strategic agreement will draw on the full spectrum of Schneider energy management capabilities, including the turnkey solutions for solar farms at Masdar City, and establishment of Schneider Electric Innovation & Application Competency Center.
