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Khalifa University鈥檚 Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS) Recognized by Global Water Awards   The integrated Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS), the flagship project of Khalifa University鈥檚 Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium and the world鈥檚 first bioenergy facility using saltwater to produce seafood and aviation biofuel in the desert environment of the UAE, has been recognized as 鈥淚ndustrial Project of the Year - Distinction鈥� by the Global Water Awards.   This SEAS project was recognized by the Global Water Awards because it is a unique project characterized by cross-industry co-operation to implement sustainable biofuel production and create an agricultural alternative…

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has committed to purchasing carbon offsets, to completely neutralize the CO2 emissions of its flagship 鈥淕reenliner鈥� 787-10 aircraft for a full year of operations in 2021. The initiative is the start of the airline鈥檚 journey to reduce CO2 emissions to 50 percent of 2019 levels by 2035, and to achieve full net zero emissions by 2050 鈥� a first for any airline in the Gulf and one of the first to set a target of this scale in the industry. Separately the airline will implement an additional voluntary offset program for passengers…

In July 2019, the SBRC hosted biotechnology undergraduate student Patricia Sal茅n from Ume氓 University, Sweden, for a summer internship. During her 4 weeks of learning experience, Salen became familiar with activities related to the group麓s flagship project, such as water quality assessment, Salicornia oil extraction and RSB principles.

First Seminar on 5 August Titled 鈥楾he Challenge for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Beyond COVID-19鈥� to Cover Key Subjects 聽 Khalifa University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with key aviation industry players Etihad Airways, the General Civil Aviation Authority, The Boeing Company, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), today announced the launch of a webinar series to emphasize the need for establishing the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Initiative (SAFI) in the UAE.聽 The SAFI鈥揢AE Webinar Series will include several virtual panel sessions that will take place over a period of 8 鈥� 10 weeks. The series will be supported by…

Researchers at KU鈥檚 Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC) have聽 spent the past few weeks tilling, leveling, and replenishing the water levels in its integrated Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS), the flagship project of SBRC and the world鈥檚 first research facility to grow both food and fuel using desert lands irrigated by seawater. They are preparing to plant the fourth season of Salicornia plants, whose oil-rich seeds are harvested to produce aviation biofuel. 鈥淭his season will be dedicated to increasing the yields of the oilseed crop based on experience gained from previous seasons by implementing a different planting strategy and…

By Dr. Alejandro Rios Innovative solutions are part and parcel of a genuine green economy. The impact of environmental degradation brought forth by human actions done in the name of progress over decades has given rise to a new socio-economic development paradigm that 星空传媒 the need to equally promote social equality, environmental sustainability, and economic stability - all of which are closely intertwined with each other. This paradigm, called green economy, did not come from a vacuum but rather as a result of the mounting need to adopt a new strategic approach that drives significant growth but with careful regard…

Researchers at Khalifa University鈥檚 innovative SEAS facility explore ways to improve crop yields and in turn, increase their understanding in the cultivation of fish and halophytes Khalifa University鈥檚 Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS), the world鈥檚 first research facility to grow both food and fuel using desert lands irrigated by seawater, has received a major upgrade to improve the pilot facility鈥檚 performance and the healthy growth of its salt-tolerant plants and fish. Back in January, the oil-rich seeds of the plants grown in the SEAS facility, which is the flagship project under KU鈥檚 Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), were used…

KU鈥檚 Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS) Demonstrates its Potential to Produce Food and Biofuel to Support National Goals The UAE has many economic targets and visions for its prosperous and innovative future 鈥� joining the top 10 in聽the Global Food Security Index by 2021, growing its aviation sector while meeting international sustainability commitments, achieving economic diversity 鈥� but all of them must work within one major limitation: freshwater scarcity. The country鈥檚 total annual renewable freshwater resources 鈥� meaning available groundwater that recharges with rainfall -- are estimated at only 150 million m3 while its total water withdrawal was estimated…

Khalifa University, Etihad Airways, Boeing, ADNOC, Safran, GE and BAUER Resources celebrate a major milestone in developing a comprehensive sustainable aviation fuel value chain The Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a non-profit entity established by Masdar Institute that is part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology and supported by Etihad Airways, The Boeing Co, ADNOC Refining, Safran, General Electric and BAUER Resources, announced the world鈥檚 first successful commercial flight on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787 using locally produced sustainable fuel. The flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam marked a major milestone in the development of a clean, alternative aviation…

The world鈥檚 first research facility to grow both food and fuel, using desert lands irrigated by seawater, began operations today on a 2-hectare site in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Operated by Masdar Institute, the facility, is funded by the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a group advancing the aviation industry鈥檚 commitment to reduce its carbon emissions by developing a clean, sustainable and alternative fuel supply. 鈥淲e live in a resource-constrained world where the access to energy, water and food are interlinked,鈥� said Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost of Masdar Institute, a research-based university in Abu Dhabi, and a…

In a world of changing climate, limited fresh water and farmland, and rising population, the need for a sustainable approach to meet the world鈥檚 growing water, energy and food demand is perhaps the most important challenge of the 21st century. Such an approach will require a range of innovations and technologies that can enable humankind to progress and advance without further straining the planet鈥檚 natural resources or increasing global greenhouse gas emissions. Masdar Institute鈥檚 integrated Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS), a pilot-scale research facility that aims to grow seafood and produce biofuel with saltwater and desert land, is one…

The Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC) 鈥� a non-profit consortium supported by founding members Etihad Airways, and Boeing [NYSE: BA], as well as Takreer, SAFRAN and General Electric [NYSE: GE] 鈥� today announced it is organizing the first International Seawater Energy and Agriculture Forum 2016 in Abu Dhabi. 聽 To be held from 1 - 2 November 2016 at the Masdar Institute Multi-Use Hall, the event will include the forum and a workshop on aquaculture and halophytes, to be organized in collaboration with the University of Arizona. The forum will seek to create a knowledge-sharing platform for experts in aquaculture,…

The UAE鈥檚 pioneering project to tap into the energy of salt-loving plants to produce a sustainable green fuel was highlighted at the Bioenergy and Development conference held last week in Berlin, Germany, which was co-organized by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS). Dr. Alejandro Rios Galvan, Director of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC) and Professor of Practice, Engineering Systems and Management, Masdar Institute, shared with the conference audience the importance of developing biofuels that do not jeopardize food security or cause social, economic and environmental consequences. 鈥淭he SBRC鈥檚 innovative biomass-to-energy research project…