Masdar scientists in solar triumph

ABU DHABI // Scientists working on a Dh6.6 million research project have almost doubled the amount of energy obtained from solar cells.

Researchers from Masdar Institute of Science and Technology made the breakthrough by constructing the cells using the chemical element germanium mixed with the usual silicon.

"Germanium has better optical properties for solar cells than silicon," said Dr Ammar Nayfeh, an assistant professor in microsystems engineering at the institute and head of the project.

"The electrons move faster in germanium so you can actually get more current with it."

The project was launched in 2011 with the aim to provide smaller, faster and less power-hungry devices by optimising the capture of solar energy.

"We showed that by incorporating germanium in our solar cells, we could exploit more of the sun's radiation," Dr Nayfeh said.

"There's some kind of distance called the band-gap and the smaller that band-gap is, the more current we can get out of it," Dr Nayfeh said.

"A lot of the sun comes through and gets wasted so this allows more efficiency."

Germanium has also proven to absorb a lot more light than other materials, which means smaller quantities can be used.

Masdar Institute has so far conducted its experimental work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston and Bilkent University in Turkey, but its own 300-square-metre clean room is almost ready for use.

"It's now ramping up," Dr Nayfeh said. "We're at the point of setting up the experiments, getting trained, students are now developing the process here.

"Just recently, we fabricated a working thin-film solar cell at Masdar for the first time. We've also added gold nano-particles on top of the solar cells that further enhances the solar current achieved."

Dr Nayfeh and his team will spend the next few months developing the clean room.

"It's going to be a lab where we can do experiments with tools comparable to Stanford and MIT," he said. "It can be used by any UAE university and it'll be a UAE-centric clean room."

Masdar's first trial using the germanium in solar applications is still in progress and is expected to be completed soon.

"New ways to improve solar cell performance are ongoing in the nano-electronics and photonics lab," Dr Nayfeh said.

The institute has also begun building a team of experts from MIT and Masdar for a new centre for photovoltaic research at Masdar.

"This region is so prime for solar because the intensity of the sun is stronger than in other places," Dr Nayfeh said said. "You don't need that much area of the desert to have enough energy to power almost the entire earth, so there's so much energy available, it's just a matter of using it."

The goal is to set up a solar plant in Abu Dhabi that could supply not only the UAE but also neighbouring countries.

"Solar energy is the most abundant energy source that we have available on Earth and most of it is wasted, as it does not get utilised towards our energy needs," said Sabina Abdul Hadi, a PhD student in microsystems engineering who is working on the project at Masdar Institute. "By using solar cells and their photovoltaic effect, we can convert abundant solar radiation into clean energy. We need solar cells to be efficient and affordable for everyone."

Dr Nayfeh described solar energy as "more of a commodity". "We can reduce the amount of costs for the average UAE resident as part of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, using this technology."

The solar project is expected to complete by the end of next year.

Dr Nayfeh said he hoped a prototype of the centre for photovoltaic research would be set up then.

"We're trying to reduce energy because there's so much power that's being consumed," he said. "Abu Dhabi can really make an impact on solar if we focus on it."

cmalek@thenational.ae

Picture of Joumblatt and Hariri breaking bread sets Twitter alight

Mr Joumblatt’s pessimism regarding the Lebanese political situation didn’t stop him from enjoying a cheerful dinner on Tuesday with several politicians including Mr Hariri.

Caretaker Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted a picture of the group sitting around a table at a discrete fish restaurant in Beirut’s upscale Sodeco area.

Mr Joumblatt told The National that the fish served at Kelly’s Fish lounge had been very good.

“They really enjoyed their time”, remembers the restaurant owner. “Mr Hariri was taking selfies with everybody”.

Mr Hariri and Mr Joumblatt often have dinner together to discuss recent political developments.

Mr Joumblatt was a close ally of Mr Hariri’s assassinated father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The pair were leading figures in the political grouping against the 15-year Syrian occupation of Lebanon that ended after mass protests in 2005 in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s murder. After the younger Hariri took over his father’s mantle in 2004, the relationship with Mr Joumblatt endured.

However, the pair have not always been so close. In the run-up to the election last year, Messrs Hariri and Joumblatt went months without speaking over an argument regarding the new proportional electoral law to be used for the first time. Mr Joumblatt worried that a proportional system, which Mr Hariri backed, would see the influence of his small sect diminished.

With so much of Lebanese politics agreed in late-night meetings behind closed doors, the media and pundits put significant weight on how regularly, where and with who senior politicians meet.

In the picture, alongside Messrs Khoury and Hariri were Mr Joumbatt and his wife Nora, PSP politician Wael Abou Faour and Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon Nazih el Nagari.

The picture of the dinner led to a flurry of excitement on Twitter that it signified an imminent government formation. “God willing, white smoke will rise soon and Walid Beik [a nickname for Walid Joumblatt] will accept to give up the minister of industry”, one user replied to the tweet. “Blessings to you…We would like you to form a cabinet”, wrote another.

The next few days will be crucial in determining whether these wishes come true.

Explainer: Tanween Design Programme

Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.

The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.

It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.

The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.

Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”

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'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Poacher

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