A Dubai company hopes to revolutionise solar panel construction by developing cladding panels for the sides of buildings.
Dubai Investments said yesterday that it had formed Emirates Insolaire, a joint venture with SwissInso, a Swiss technological specialist, to produce solar panels that can be integrated into building cladding.
Investment Corporation of Dubai owns 11.5 per cent of Dubai Investments.
Emirates Insolaire, which Dubai Investments owns 51 per cent, will manufacture the coloured solar glass that can provide 10 per cent of the global solar panel market over the next four or five years.
The new panels use special Kromatix technology, developed with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, that can be integrated seamlessly into the facades of buildings.
They will be initially manufactured by Emirates Glass, a unit of Dubai Investments, which specialises in producing energy-efficient architectural glass.
Production will take place at two Emirates Glass factories in Dubai and one in Saudi Arabia.
“This is a product for the whole world,” said Khalid bin Kalban, Dubai Investments’ chief executive. “This is a paradigm shift in solar-glass technology. Kromatix is a first-of-its kind business model not only in the region but across the entire world.”
Emirates Insolaire said it had signed two deals to provide the panels to Sao Paulo International Airport and to a Singapore housing scheme.
It said its panels cost 5 to 17 per cent more than traditional panels and would have a final cost to developers of about €200 (Dh991) per square metre.
Dubai Investments said the partners would invest another €2 million in Emirates Insolaire over the next 18 months to refine the product and increase manufacturing capacity.
Emirates Insolaire said it was targeting 10 per cent of the global building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) market over the next four to five years. The market is currently worth about US$10 billion a year, and it is growing at an annual rate of 40 per cent.
The firm said the solar panels on a villa of average size could produce enough energy per day for the needs of a family of four to five people.
Vahid Fotuhi, the president of the Middle East Solar Industry Association, said the BIPV market was small but growing.
“There are big plans to use this technology in the 2020 Expo pavilions if Dubai wins the bid,” Mr Fotuhi said. “A number of different companies are making similar panels, but right now they are very rare and specific applications are not commercially viable.”
Dubai Investments, which has about 40 subsidiaries and joint ventures in an array of industries, said it hoped to complete a planned $300m sukuk sale in the next couple of weeks.
The company appointed financial advisers in March to launch the Islamic bond, which it said would be used to pay down bank debts and finance acquisitions. But its plans were delayed as interest rates increased.
lbarnard@thenational.ae
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
MAIN CARD
Bantamweight 56.4kg
Abrorbek Madiminbekov v Mehdi El Jamari
Super heavyweight 94 kg
Adnan Mohammad v Mohammed Ajaraam
Lightweight 60kg
Zakaria Eljamari v Faridoon Alik Zai
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Mahmood Amin v Taha Marrouni
Light welterweight 64.5kg
Siyovush Gulmamadov v Nouredine Samir
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Ilyass Habibali v Haroun Baka
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
More coverage from the Future Forum
MATCH INFO
Scotland 59 (Tries: Hastings (2), G Horne (3), Turner, Seymour, Barclay, Kinghorn, McInally; Cons: Hastings 8)
Russia 0
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
