Masdar City, the carbon-neutral development at the edge of the capital, will serve as a unique test bed for consumer concerns about the electricity grid of the future, experts say.
Utilities in the US and Australia that installed elements of a "smart grid" in recent years have faced complaints from consumers about higher bills. Consumer advocates have expressed even greater concern about more advanced grids that would enable utilities to take direct control of household appliances or cooling systems to match electricity consumption with available supply.
An agreement signed on Tuesday between the Abu Dhabi Government's Masdar and Siemens, the German industrial conglomerate, will test those concerns in a real-world environment as the two companies roll out highly advanced grid technology in Masdar City, said Abhay Bhargava, a power grid expert at Frost & Sullivan, a management consultancy.
The results of the experiment will shape the growth of the regional market as Abu Dhabi's utility and others across the region decide whether to mimic a recent flood of investment into grid developments in the US and Europe, Mr Bhargava said. Abu Dhabi will have installed advanced digital meters in every home across the emirate by the end of the year but it would need to introduce additional technologies and changes to pricing to create a true smart grid.
"The biggest challenge [utilities] face in demand response and implementing smart grids is consumer attitudes and opinions," he said. "With Masdar City, what the utilities can achieve is to evaluate the consumer response, their opinions and attitudes towards the various methods used in a smart grid."
At its core, a smart grid introduces advanced software and information technology into the electricity market to give data to both consumers and producers on the supply-demand balance of electricity at any given moment. Consumers face higher prices when demand spikes but can also reduce their bills by using power at night and selling back excess electricity that they can produce from solar panels.
Under the agreement, Masdar City will serve as a "living research and development facility" that will integrate each building's energy system into a city-wide distribution management programme, with a view to creating "end-to-end demand response from the utility direct to consumers", Masdar and Siemens said. The officials running Masdar's power grid will have access to detailed data on how energy is being used at any given moment and will have the means to directly moderate high rates of consumption to balance supply with demand.
Masdar City "gives Siemens a unique opportunity to design and implement a complete smart grid for a whole city", said Alexander Becker, a Siemens spokesman.
"In established cities there will always be a phased approach to convert existing installations into a smart grid-smart buildings environment."
Consumers at Masdar are unlikely to raise objections to smart grid experiments, said Christian von Tschirschky, an electricity grid expert at the management consultancy AT Kearney.
"The consumers know from the moment when they move in what to expect," he said. "You can, of course, develop the smart grid and smart meter opportunities to the maximum extent because you're starting from scratch."
The agreement with Siemens complements a separate deal Masdar reached last year with General Electric, the US conglomerate, to install smart home appliances in the city that regulate their energy consumption levels to match supply.
Siemens is likely to reap a significant commercial benefit as it looks to create a new market for smart grids across the region, Mr Bhargava said. Frost & Sullivan estimates GCC countries will spend US$60 billion (Dh220.37bn) on electricity transmission and distribution systems over the next 10 years, of which a sizeable proportion could go towards smart grid technology.
"Masdar is the only opportunity in the region," Mr Bhargava said. "For any company to be successful when it comes to applied technology here, they need to show proof of concepts that are relative to the region."
Any such changes will also require the approval of electricity regulators, he said.
cstanton@thenational.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
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How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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