Abu Dhabi is the largest and most populated of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, accounting for over 80% of its landmass. The emirate's population, now over 1.6 million, is expected to reach 3 million by 2030. Across the UAE, Emirati citizens make up nearly 20% of the total population; the other 80% are expatriates from Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and North America. The seat of the President of the United Arab Emirates is located in Abu Dhabi city, which also hosts the federal government, foreign embassies and many oil companies.
Abu Dhabi infuses luxury and style with traditional values of hospitality and respect. It’s a place where sunny weather, tranquil beaches, lush oases, vibrant city life and a mixture of culture and traditions come together to create an experience like no other.
General Information
For general information about Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates, please visit theVisit Abu Dhabi website. There you can find information about the UAE’s climate, culture, taxis and transport, tourist attractions and landmarks.
Visa Information
For visa information, please visit theUAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. If additional information is required, kindly contact your regional UAE embassy or consulate. In some cases, your hotel in the UAE can also make visa arrangements for you. Please check with the hotel directly to see if they can provide you with this service. If an official letter of participation is required for visa processing, please send an email to swc2017@pse.de.
Emergency Telephone Number
The emergency phone number for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is 999. You can call this number to request police assistance, an ambulance or any other emergency services. For more details on what to do in case of an emergency and for information on medical insurance, pleaseclick here. A full list of emergency contact numbers can be found on theAbu Dhabi eGovernment Gateway.
The UAE is emerging as a leader in renewable energy research and deployment, and recently launched “The UAE Energy Plan 2050,” which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase clean energy use and improve energy efficiency. The country is also aiming to increase renewable energy to 44% of its total energy mix by 2050.
It was a direct result of the UAE leadership’s focus on sustainability, when Masdar – a subsidiary of the Mubadala Investment Company – was established in 2006 to invest, incubate and advance the establishment of a clean energy industry in Abu Dhabi. In parallel to this, the government also launched the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the UAE’s first graduate university focused on research in sustainable energy and advanced technologies. These two initiatives have researched, built and installed some of the region’s largest renewable energy projects, including the Shams 1 concentrated solar power plant – which has an installed capacity of 100MW – and the Masdar Institute Solar Platform – a testing facility for innovative new concentrating solar power (CSP) and thermal energy storage (TES) technologies. These are just two examples of the emirate of Abu Dhabi’s targeted advancements in solar energy research and deployment.
The Dubai government has also strengthened its efforts to provide energy from renewable and clean energy sources with the development of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is the largest single-site solar park in the world and aims to generate 5,000MW by 2050. A Masdar led consortium was selected in 2016 to complete the third phase of the project, which is due for completion in 2020 and has a capacity of 800MW.
In addition to advancing the uptake of solar energy in the UAE, partnerships formed by UAE companies have increased the amount of solar energy harvested in countries such as Egypt, Mauritania and Tonga, among others.
The IEA Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC) "International Conference on Solar Heating and Cooling for Buildings and Industry" www.shc2017.org/