The University of Toledo acknowledged the importance of developing renewable energy at the  global level when it granted an honorary doctorate to  Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber on July 22.

In 2006, Abu Dhabi mandated  alternative energy research and development, creating Masdar Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC).  Al Jaber is CEO of ADFEC.

UT President Lloyd Jacobs and former president Dan Johnson hosted the event that honored Al Jaber and the alternative energy discussion that followed.

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber and UT President Lloyd Jacobs discuss alternative energy during a July 22 ceremony.

“It seemed to me, it was important for Masdar to understand what is going on in Toledo, just as it is important for Toledo to understand what is going on in Masdar because of their common interest,” said Johnson, who works in partnership with Al Jaber and Masdar as provost and CEO of Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates.

The goal of Masdar is for Abu Dhabi to be a leader in renewable energy by developing  commercially viable, sustainable energy solutions. The oil-rich nation decided that instead of waiting for technology to be developed and import it, it would invest in research and developing alternative energy, Al Jaber said.

“We want to maintain our position in the global energy market. We wanted to start positioning ourself as not only oil and gas exporters, but we wanted to  position ourselves as the energy capital of the world,” Al Jaber said.

The Masdar initiative  is made up of five parts; Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, a university partnership with MIT that focuses on the science and engineering of advanced renewable technology; Masdar City, a city to test and develop technologies with a goal of zero carbon, zero waste; Masdar Power, with investments in concentrated solar power, photovoltaic solar energy and wind energy; Masdar Carbon, a focus on projects that reduce carbon footprints; and Masdar Venture Capital, a focus on investments within clean energy, environmental resources, energy and material efficiency and environmental services.

The $22 billion initiative has collaborations with universities and businesses from around the world, Al Jaber said.

UT has a similar commitment to advancing renewable energy as Masdar’s Al Jaber said.

He said he was impressed by what UT and Ohio have accomplished in the development of solar technology. However, Al Jaber advised the university, it needs to communicate its accomplishments better.

“[UT needs to] capitalize on what you have already built and accomplished and communicate it,” he said. “Through communication, we are able to share knowledge, share experiences and exchange our ideas. By doing all of that, UT will be able to attract talent, export knowledge and export intellectual property, at the same time attract R&D funding and investments.”

Sharing knowledge and experience, as well as collaboration between the public, private and academic sectors is key to advancing renewable energy, Al Jaber said.

“The three relationships are a must — public, private and academia. Academia will supply research abilities, human capital and intellectual contribution. Public will supply the required incentives and  policies. The private sectors …at the end of the day,  the private sector cares about the property value and that’s what we need. We want to make this commercially viable. If it isn’t, we’ll always be going in circles,” he said.

“What good does it do the world for us to develop Masdar City in a commercial or financially unsustainable way? It won’t do anyone any good,” he said. “The point here is to do it in a way that is first financially sustainable, commercially viable and that meets our objectives in terms of our carbon footprint.”

The U.S., which has demonstrated a capability to lead in a number of sectors, has potential to be a leader in the alternative energy field, Al Jaber said.

The United States has the infrastructure and talent to incubate renewable energy, but has no market to further accelerate development, Al Jaber said. The creation of a market for the renewable energy requires policy change, he said.

“Without policy, it would be difficult to incubate the industry or even attract investors or talent to work in the industry,” Al Jaber said. “I’m very convinced the policy that is being worked on in the U.S., and helped by the U.A.E. … I have no doubt that in the very near future we will see a renewable energy public policy that is robust, to accelerate the establishment of the renewable energy sector and the U.S. leadership.”

UT hopes to explore collaborations with Masdar in the future, but the awarding of an honorary degree isn’t to speed up that collaboration, both Jacobs and Johnson said.

“This award of the honorary degree isn’t to do anything other than recognize his global leadership. It wasn’t to create a quid pro quo. It  was to make a connection, but also to recognize him,” Johnson said.

Masdar will explore possibilities of collaboration with UT, but Al Jaber will remove himself from the decision process because of his honorary degree, he said.

For more information, visit the website www.masdar.ae.com.

Tags: Dan Johnson, Dubai, Masdar, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, University of Toledo

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 29th, 2010 at 2:18 pm and is filed under Community, Education, Environment.
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Just as bad money drives out good money, bad news seems to trump the good news nearly every day. And there is plenty of bad news.

Every day this summer, we have followed the tragic saga of the BP oil leak in the Gulf. We have listened to those working on the leaking well and the cleanup; we have heard from those who are working to protect the coastal environment and those whose livelihoods are derived from the Gulf; we have watched BP and government officials position themselves to minimize the economic and political fallout; and we have wondered about the long-term consequences of the spill.

While listening to the news about the Gulf oil spill, I have often wondered what a similar spill would do to the Arctic Ocean and ANWAR with all the additional complications of freezing temperatures, extreme weather, limited accessibility, thick ice and the summer ice floes. I have visited the oil installations on the North Slope and have been impressed by all the safety precautions in place; however, those same precautions were presumably in place in the Gulf, but were insufficient to prevent this tragic environmental catastrophe. All the economically feasible safety precautions in the world cannot guarantee that such spills will not occur in the future.

While it is too early to know all the consequences of this environmental tragedy, I strongly suspect — along with many others — that this incident will or should accelerate the research and development of clean energy and particularly solar energy.  Even those whose livelihoods are rooted in fossil fuels know that we cannot afford — financially or ecologically — oil spills such as the one under way this summer and the Exxon Valdez tragedy off the coast of Alaska that seems like yesterday for those involved.

There is good news afoot that could well impact Toledo and the regional economy: alternative energy research and development.

The largest alternative energy conglomerate in the world is Masdar, located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. On July 22, the CEO of Masdar, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, came to UT where he received an honorary doctorate of science in recognition of his global leadership in advancing alternative energy. As one of America’s leading universities in photovoltaic and alternative energy research and development, it was fitting and appropriate for UT to recognize the tremendous investment being made by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the leadership of the Masdar initiative under the direction of Al Jaber.

I was very pleased with UT’s recognition of Al Jaber, for several reasons: First, it is rare for any university to search out and recognize the work of others in a field where it seeks preeminence. But UT did just that. This act points to the importance of collaboration in the advancement of science and this is particularly true in the field of alternative energy. Second, this act recognizes the global nature of the development of alternative energy. An American university located in the Midwest recognizing the outstanding global leadership of a Middle Eastern institution and its CEO is a positive move and symbolizes the importance of mutual respect. Third, the ceremony at which the honor was bestowed brought with it an occasion where leaders in this field could meet and discuss important issues related to the advancement of science and innovation in alternative energy.

Since coming to the United Arab Emirates, I have had many occasions to interact with Al Jaber. I know there are few, if any, individuals anywhere in the world working harder to advance the research and development of alternative energy. Those who know him admire and respect his driving motivation to advance the alternative energy agenda. He has surrounded himself with other highly motivated individuals and is strongly supported by the Abu Dhabi leadership and government.  It was appropriate that UT — which itself is a national leader in alternative energy  — recognized a true global leader in this increasingly important and interdependent field.

Where will all this lead? It is difficult, if not impossible, to say. For me, the award of this honorary degree stands on its own as a single act that is justified on its own merits. But I can also imagine that UT will continue to search out global leaders in alternative energy, develop connections, share knowledge and technology, collaborate in advancing the science needed for continued development and thereby advance its own interests here in Toledo, Northwest Ohio and the nation.

The Gulf oil spill, the Exxon Valdez and the scores of less dramatic but significant spills elsewhere all point to the urgent need for the United States and the other nations of the world to develop as rapidly as possible economically sustainable clean energy. UT can be a major player in this changing energy paradigm.

When UT President Lloyd Jacobs asked Al Jaber if he had any advice for UT, he responded by saying that the university needs to do a better job of “telling its alternative energy story.”

Jacobs readily agreed, as do I. I also believe that the events of July 22 honoring Al Jaber of Masdar is an excellent first step in this direction.

Dan Johnson is provost and chief operating officer of Zayed University, United Arab Emirates and president emeritus of UT.

Tags: Bridge to Dubai, Dan Johnson, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Masdar

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 29th, 2010 at 12:07 pm and is filed under Bridge to Dubai, Opinion.
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