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Emerge, a joint venture between the UAE’s Masdar and France’s EDF Group, has announced the successful energization of two high-profile solar photovoltaic projects on Yas Island at Yas Marina Circuit and Yas Bay Waterfront, Abu Dhabi’s vibrant day-to-night dining, entertainment and leisure destination.

The post Solar panels power up the artificial island of Yas in the UAE appeared first on Green Prophet.

Emerge, a joint venture between the UAE’s Masdar and France’s EDF Group, has announced the successful energization of two high-profile solar photovoltaic projects on Yas Island at Yas Marina Circuit and Yas Bay Waterfront, Abu Dhabi’s vibrant day-to-night dining, entertainment and leisure destination.

The 1 megawatt peak (MWp) solar car park at Ethara’s Yas Marina Circuit, home to the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, will generate approximately 30 percent of Yas Marina Circuit’s total annual energy demand, equivalent to powering nearly 200 Abu Dhabi households and offsetting 900 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.

Under its agreement with the venue’s operator, Ethara, Emerge has installed more than 1,800 solar modules across the car park of the track of the Marina Circuit, which holds a capacity of 60,000 spectators, delivering a comprehensive turnkey solution for the project, including finance, design, procurement, construction, operations, and maintenance for 25 years.

The 520kWp Yas Bay Waterfront development for Miral involved the installation of over 900 solar modules, equivalent to powering around 100 Abu Dhabi households and offsetting 425 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. The solution included finance, design, procurement and construction and Emerge will operate and maintain the solar modules.

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Jonathan Brown, Chief Portfolio Officer at Miral, said: “This project is a testament of our commitment in further positioning Yas Island as a top global destination for entertainment and leisure, while consistently priorisiting sustainable practices.”

Hesham Al Jneibi, Yas Marina Circuit and Etihad Park General Manager, said: “We are keen to play our part in supporting the wide-scale sustainability efforts of the UAE, and we are focused on setting the new standard for responsible event and venue management through collaboration in the region.”

Michel Abi Saab, General Manager, Emerge, said: “The energization of these two solar projects on Yas Island shows the commitment by Miral and Ethara to sustainability and to minimizing their environmental footprint. These projects will deliver high-quality and reliable clean energy to Abu Dhabi’s race circuit and to one of its premier entertainment destinations, which attracts millions of visitors from home and abroad. The successful implementation of our projects demonstrates the compelling case for installing renewable energy projects at entertainment sites in the UAE.”

Yas Bay Waterfront is the third collaboration between Miral, the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, and Emerge. In March 2023, Miral inaugurated Abu Dhabi’s largest solar rooftop project at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, with an impressive 7-megawatt peak (MWp) capacity.

The project incorporates approximately 16,000 solar modules across the theme park’s roof area of 36,000 square meters and produces nearly 40 percent of its annual energy demand.

Emerge has also deployed on-site solar energy systems at the SeaWorld Abu Dhabi theme park, which has a capacity of 8.4 megawatts (MWp) and is scheduled to be commissioned during the second quarter of 2024.

Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, was formed in 2021 to develop distributed solar, energy storage and hybrid solutions for commercial and industrial. As an energy services company, Emerge offers clients full turnkey solutions through solar power agreements and energy performance contracting at no upfront cost to the client.

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Sometimes about the only place you feel like drinking is when you are stuck for 12 hours on a long-haul flight. But researchers from Germany suggest that all people, young and old, should avoid alcohol on flights. They say that combined with cabin pressure, the alcohol puts too much pressure on your heart.

The post Drinking on a plane can hurt your heart, new research appeared first on Green Prophet.

Sometimes about the only place you feel like drinking is when you are stuck for 12 hours on a long-haul flight. But researchers from Germany suggest that all people, young and old, should avoid alcohol on flights. They say that combined with cabin pressure, the alcohol puts too much pressure on your heart.

After a series of lab experiments the German scientists discovered that when people fall asleep after consuming alcohol at low air pressures, your blood oxygen can drop to worrisome levels. Heart rate levels can increase without warning in both young and old people, they write in the journal Thorax.

Read related: why Muslims don’t drink alcohol

Co-author Dr. Eva-Maria Elmenhorst, deputy of the department of sleep and human factors research at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Center in Cologne, Germany says that passengers should think twice about drinking alcohol in flight.

Even without the burden of alcohol, dry cabin air causes dehydration and being immobile can trigger trigger blood clots in the legs.

The German said they expected that alcohol consumption at low air pressures in-flight would have an effect on people, but they “we were surprised to see that the effect was so strong,” Elmenhorst said, suggesting to flyers: “Please don’t drink alcohol while being on an airplane. The decreased oxygen saturation together with the increase in heart rate could exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions.

Read related: Ask for in-flight mocktails instead

“The oxygen saturation dropped to quite low levels during sleep,” she said. “This is why I would recommend to avoid drinking alcohol even when someone is healthy.”

The study looked at 48 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 40 who were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Half went to sleep in a sleep lab that had air pressure at sea level. The other half would sleep in an altitude chamber that mimicked the air pressure found on planes traveling at a cruising altitude.

Twelve people in each group slept for four hours after having consumed two cans of beer or two glasses of wine. The other group slept without. Then the procedure was reversed.

Read related: Is sex on an airplane legal?

Those who drank before falling asleep in the altitude chamber had their blood oxygen saturation drop to 85% on average, while their heart rates rose to compensate to an average of nearly 88 beats per minute.

The post Drinking on a plane can hurt your heart, new research appeared first on Green Prophet.

Keeping your home cool during the hot and humid summer months is costly and damaging to the climate because of all the extra energy usage. But with a few strategic hacks to using your current window-based air conditioner, portable air conditioning unit or central air condition system, you can make your air conditioner work more efficiently.

The post Hacks to Make Your Air Conditioner Work Harder appeared first on Green Prophet.

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Keeping your home cool during the hot and humid summer months is costly and damaging to the climate because of all the extra energy usage. But with a few strategic hacks to using your current window-based air conditioner, portable air conditioning unit or central air condition system, you can make your air conditioner work more efficiently. And that means more coolness for you and no more choosing your friends based on who has an air conditioner at home. It also means buying less carbon credits if you are doing carbon accounting for your home.

Here are some expert tips to enhance your AC’s performance and ensure a comfortably cool home, office or hang out space. These are from Green Prophet’s experiences we’ve taken from living in New York, Canada, Europe (there is practical no air-con there) and the Middle East and will ensure your air quality stays high too.

Deep clean vents every few years

Dust and grime can accumulate in your central system AC vents and mini-split units over time, slowing airflow and reducing efficiency. Performing a deep clean of your air vents every three to five years is crucial. This maintenance ensures that the maximum amount of cold air is released into your living spaces.

This routine boosts your AC’s performance but also extends its lifespan by preventing it from overworking to push air through clogged ducts.

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If you live in Arizona, or a dusty, desert location with hot temps throughout the year consider a deep clean more regularly.

Replace air filters

In addition to deep cleaning vents periodically, replacing air filters on a regular basis is important for efficient operation. Air filters trap dust, pollen, and other airborne particles, preventing them from entering your air conditioning system. Open them up and if there is a lot of humidity in your region they may also be food of black mould. This mold will fly all over your home, clogging filters and your lungs.

The clogging also makes the unit work harder, giving less output. Ask how to change the air filters when you buy or acquire the unit.

Read related: Improving air quality with your air conditioner

Pair the air con with fans

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Spend-thrift people know that a high energy air con unit can heat a whole floor of a home if ceiling fans or floor fans are turned on. Fans take much less energy and they push the cool air through your home. This cools the room faster and makes it feel cooler by evaporating humidity from your skin. You can use less air and more fan, finding the happy balance at night, saving you money on your power bill.

Invest in window shades

Keeping sunlight out of your home can significantly reduce indoor temperatures. High-quality window shades or blinds can block the sun’s rays, preventing your rooms from heating up during the day. This means that your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to cool your home.

By minimizing the amount of heat that enters your home, you can create a more comfortable environment and reduce the load on your AC unit. This not only enhances efficiency but also prolongs the life of your air conditioning system.

Keep the doors and windows closed

It might seem intuitive but part of what makes the summer feel hot is the humidity. Air conditioners typically remove the humidity from the air, cooling it in the process. Make sure you teach your kids and family members the importance of keeping windows in the entire house shut when the air conditioner is running or else you are basically pouring electricity down the drain.

Close vents and doors of rooms not in use

If you have a central AC unit, you can but small covers to put on the vents so the cooling stays out of rooms you aren’t using. If there is no-one in the guest bedroom or office, keep the door closed and let the cool air circulate where needed.

Now that you know how to hack your air con so it’s cooler this summer, read these 5 ways to re-use air conditioner AC water.

The post Hacks to Make Your Air Conditioner Work Harder appeared first on Green Prophet.