Electric vehicle sales are growing exponentially. As they do, public charging networks need to expand rapidly and demand for home charging equipment will mushroom. In fact it is reported that global EV sales more than doubled in 2021 vs. 2020 and all net growth in global car sales in 2021 came from EVs. Having a good technical understanding of the equipment has never been more important.
Electric car charging stations and home chargers have to meet high standards of availability, safety, and comfort based on the field of application. Complex structures made up of numerous small parts are no rarity. Developers and design engineers are therefore often faced with technical challenges and questions about wiring, power supply, controllers, and communication links.
To tackle these questions, Phoenix Contact has published five new videos to the technical support channel on YouTube. They provide clear explanations on technical topics as well as the interaction between individual electronic and electrical engineering components – focusing on the typical requirements of a networked e-mobility charging infrastructure. The videos also convey basic information about charging technology, such as charging standards and connector types.
You’ll find their YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXpIBdAgtoRJ7Gsuob3_p3krsy0iQmqpH.
Denmark-based global container logistics giant Maersk will achieve net-zero carbon emission status by 2040 when its entire fleet will be green fuel enabled, said Christopher Cook, Managing Director, Maersk UAE,
“As we scrap old vessels, the new ones that are coming in will be green fuel enabled. Our entire fleet will be green fuel enabled by 2040. Then we will be net-zero,” he said at a recent press conference to launch Maersk Kanoo UAE’s first Integrated Logistics Centre in Dubai.
He said the current fleet size is around 740 with a total capacity of 4.3 million TEUs. The company has 13 green fuel vessels on order – 12 vessels of 16,000 TEU capacity being built by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries and one feeder vessel which will be the first to come into operation by end-2023 in Northern Europe. To power these vessels, Maersk had signed strategic partnerships with six companies for sourcing at least 730,000 tonnes/year of green methanol through projects in China, North and South America.
The first vessel is scheduled to be operational at the beginning of 2024.
“As we look for supply of methanol, we continue to engage with partners where green fuel is produced. Though we looked at a number of other fuel sources available such as hydrogen and ammonia, we decided that the most effective which can be operated safely on our ships is methanol,” said Cook.
The official said Maersk does not have immediate plans to enter into agreement with any producers or suppliers in the GCC. “However, we continue to look for partnerships here to develop fuel sources,” he said.
Zawya Projects had reported on 11 March that Egypt's Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) and Maersk are in discussions to implement green methanol and green ammonia projects in the country.
Ocean freight rates
On the sky-rocketing ocean freight rates, Cook said it is hard to predict how quickly the rates will normalise. “However, we see normalisation towards the middle of this year,” he said. Ocean freight rates have increased up to 800 percent in some routes due to reduced available capacity on shipping lines and container shortage.
Cook said there is limited impact on Maersk’s customers. “There were certainly significant increases in freight rates, but almost two-thirds of our customers are not seeing that sort of increase, because they have long term fixed rate contracts and they enjoy stable rates throughout the year,” he said.
As part of its move to expand its e-commerce footprint, Maersk has been on an acquisition spree, mainly in the US and Europe and not in the Middle East.
Expanding e-commerce footprint
The logistics giant has been acquiring strategic entities from the beginning of this year, and acquired an e-commerce company in the US that supports delivery of e-commerce items. During last year, Maersk made six acquisitions, three of which were in e-commerce sector.
“We continue to keep our eyes open for M&A opportunities in the region. We look for acquisitions and strategic alliances that would support our business growth,” he said.
Integrated Logistics Centre
The Maersk Integrated Logistics Centre was inaugurated by Richard Morgan, Regional Managing Director, Maersk West & Central Asia.
The 10,000 square metre warehousing & distribution (W&D) facility at Jabel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) in Dubai will cater to commodities across petrochemical, retail & lifestyle, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), technology and automotive sectors, amongst others, the company said in a statement. It said the facility will get solar panels on its rooftop to cater to all the entire electricity requirements for operations. The 434 MWh/year clean energy production of this installation will reduce more than 1,700 tonnes of carbon emissions over 10 years, an equivalent decarbonisation feat achieved by planting over 70,000 trees seedlings over ten years.
Maersk’s Integrated Logistics Centre will support existing services provided, including ocean shipping, landside transportation, customs clearance, contract logistics, and e-commerce solutions.
(Reporting by Bhaskar Raj; Editing by Anoop Menon)
Source: Zawya
Perhaps you’ve noticed that a growing number of companies are innovating new products and capturing new markets by focusing on sustainable products and services.
Companies are finding that having a well-structured approached to sustainability is popular with buyers, who are shifting more business to them as a result.
And companies with a clear sustainability focus are attracting, retaining, and engaging the best employees. Or perhaps you are reading this because you are personally convinced that your business should be doing more to protect the planet simply because it’s the right thing to do.
Whatever the reason, if you’d like your business to take steps in becoming more sustainable, this Webinar is a must-watch event.
We will discuss three straightforward actions your business should take this year to achieve better business performance and to prepare itself for a rapidly changing world.
Whilst there is a lot of eagerness to be more eco-conscious, residents feel that there is a distinct lack of sustainable products on the market to support this need.
Residents across the UAE are increasingly making choices which reduce their impact on the environment, and pledging to lead more sustainable lives in 2022.
New research has shown that businesses have also taken note of this trend and have tailored their products and services to be more eco-friendly.
According to a recent survey conducted by Censuswide, on behalf of Ariel Middle East, a region-wide drive towards a greener future has meant that environmentally friendly lifestyle choices are high on the agenda for UAE residents. The results of the survey revealed that 83 per cent of people in the UAE are aware of their environmental footprint, and the impact of their purchasing choices on the planet. The survey also shows that four in ten people plan to make more sustainable choices for the rest of 2022, with 35 to 44-year olds being the biggest age group in the UAE who aspires to be more sustainable.
In addition, 80 per cent say that they are actively trying to influence friends and family to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. However, whilst there is a lot of eagerness to be more eco-conscious, the results also found that 35 per cent of respondents feel that there is a distinct lack of sustainable products on the market to support this need, with a further 31 per cent admitting a lack of awareness when it comes to adopting more sustainable habits. One in five even confess that they simply don’t know where to start.
Norma Taki, PwC Middle East’s Consumer Markets leader, explained that a range of factors, from mass remote working to tech-driven regional transformation, have changed and continue to change consumer shopping habits and attitudes. It is clear now, she said, that these changes are here to stay.
The latest edition of PwC’s Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey showed that Middle East shoppers are increasingly influenced by sustainability issues, and are prioritising their health and wellbeing. The survey highlights a general shift in consumer behaviour as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the staying power of these changes. The survey results showed that 67 per cent of Middle East shoppers believe that they are now healthier, compared to 51 per cent globally. At 65 per cent, Middle East shoppers are also more digital, versus 53 per cent globally.
They are also more likely than ever to take into account sustainability considerations when making a purchase. In fact, 60 per cent of regional respondents believe that they are more eco-friendly than six months ago and 53 per cent are always, or frequently, buying eco-friendly products, compared to 42 per cent globally.
“As consumer optimism continues to grow in the region, it is essential that retailers and consumer companies take note of these shifting trends and adapt their priorities and strategies accordingly,” said Taki.
Another study by FedEx Express also offered some key insights on the priorities of the younger generation in the UAE. Titled, ‘Future is Now’, the study noted that there is a substantial shift in the way generations are embracing ‘what's next’, with new technologies, and an interest in sustainability impacting both business and individual lifestyles. It was found that 35 per cent of Gen Z respondents associated the phrase ‘Future is Now’ with technology advances in business, healthcare, education, and transportation; 33 per cent to sustainable development; and 20 per cent to the rise in the use of robotics and artificial intelligence.
The study also highlighted that 24 per cent of Gen Z respondents would consider a company’s sustainability agenda and its way of conducting business as a critical measure for choosing work.
Towards this end, another research report by Cloudera revealed that environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) has been identified as a top priority for business leaders, and that those who fail to act for the good of communities put business growth and talent at huge risk. The survey found that 33 per cent of UAE business decision-makers and knowledge workers believe that their respective companies should publicly support sustainable business practices.
More than 25 per cent of business decision-makers in the UAE are now increasingly investing in ESG ahead of developing new products/services or growing shareholder value. Most knowledge workers also believe as much as 49 per cent of the data their business uses on a day-to-day basis should be focused on doing good for the communities it serves. This is a sentiment 66 per cent of business decision-makers agree with – a clear indication that profit and ESG are no longer mutually exclusive pursuits.
“In my opinion, businesses, regardless of the industry they operate in, should today act in a socially responsible manner. As the research points out, doing this can start with data. Companies can, and should, use big data and AI to make more sustainable business decisions,” said Karim Azar, regional director, Middle East & Turkey, Cloudera.
Roy Hintze, partner of Consumer Markets at PwC Middle East, added: “Moving forward, it is essential that consumer companies adapt and respond to shifts in consumer behaviour by developing a true omni-channel customer experience, embedding ESG in their supply chains, building sustainable product portfolios and prioritising data privacy.”
Source: Khaleej Times
UAE-based M Glory Group today (March 28) laid the foundation stone for the country's first industrial facility for manufacture of electric vehicles (EV) at Dubai Industrial City, being set up at an investment of AED1.5 billion ($408.3 million).
The sustainable industrial facility, with advanced capabilities will be the UAE’s first plant of its kind and is expected to produce 55,000 cars per year to meet a rising demand for green mobility in bid to reduce global carbon emissions.
The new factory at Dubai Industrial City will create more than 1,000 jobs and is built on a total land area of 1 million sqft to accommodate future expansion plans. The electric cars will be exported to the wider GCC region, Egypt, Tanzania, Senegal, Mali and Kenya, it stated.
Announcing the new venture, M Glory Holding officials said the group aims to benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution and sustainability by employing future technologies and robotics in the manufacture of EVs.
The corporation’s new facility will be an extension to their portfolio, which includes robotics engineering and artificial intelligence as well as sustainable real estate.
During the event, M Glory also unveiled its first fully electric car named 'Al Damani - DMV300'. With two different models being built using European specifications, the car has a battery capacity of 52.7 kWh and can cover more than 405km on a single charge.
Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary at The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), said the ministry, in coordination with partners from the UAE’s industrial sector, is implementing a package of projects and initiatives under the UAE’s national industrial strategy.
"The aim of these projects is to make vital sectors in the UAE, including the industrial and technological sectors, even more attractive to investors. They will also help industries of the future to develop new competitive advantages and consolidate the position of the UAE as a hub for global companies, investments and talents," he stated.
Dubai Industrial City, part of Tecom, is one of the most prominent industrial and logistics hubs in the region with more than 280 factories and 750 business partners across several strategic sectors.
It is a major contributor to achieving several national strategies including the Operations 300 billion. Dubai Industrial City and MoIAT recently have signed a deal designed to further enhance the UAE’s industrial sector while facilitating decarbonization efforts.
Dr Magda Al Azazi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of M Glory Holding Group, said: "Today we are laying the foundation stone to inaugurate an Emirati industrial facility with international specifications where we will manufacture environmentally-friendly electric cars, contributing to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and support sustainable development."
The new M Glory factory will operate through two production cycles per year. It will employ the technologies and techniques of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including a welding line, a dyeing line and a final assembly line using the latest robots in the manufacturing processes.
"The factory will produce a variety of electric cars, the types and details of which will be revealed during the coming period,"stated Dr Al Azazi.
These cars will be competitive and durable as they are compatible with the environment and atmosphere of the Gulf region and will constitute a qualitative addition to the electric car sector.
"The ministry is focused on encouraging local manufacturers to diversify and develop their production to support the growth of national industries and enhance their competitiveness. The establishment of a factory to produce electric vehicles in the country is in line with the ministry's efforts to create new competitive advantages for advanced industries. It is also in line with the goals of the ’Make in the Emirates‘ campaign, launched by the ministry, which focuses on enhancing the future and sustainability of industries," she added.
On the upcoming plant, Saud Abu Al Shawareb, Managing Director of Industrial City, said: "Sustainability is a global responsibility and transitioning to alternative, low emission energy sources is an integral part of achieving a greener future. The manufacturing industry can play an essential role in enabling the national net zero strategy by delivering innovative, technology-backed solutions in line with Operation 300bn and powered by our partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology."
"M Glory’s addition to our community demonstrates our commitment to boosting the manufacturing industry, as well as supportive environment that empowers local manufacturers like M Glory to set up operations and fuel the ‘Make it in the Emirates’ initiative," he added.
Copyright 2022 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Source: Zawya
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, last week showcased its HITEK smart solutions at the Retrofit Tech MENA Summit, which is taking place at the Movenpick Grand Al Bustan in Dubai.
The series of events provided an inclusive platform for key players in the energy efficiency, sustainability and retrofitting sectors, to support the region's sustainability goals.
Four countries in the GCC region have already committed to Net Zero targets, the UAE and Oman by 2050, while Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have targeted a date of 2060. Qatar and Iraq have also announced plans to reduce their carbon emissions, with Egypt and the UAE hosting COP 27 & COP 28 in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
“In partnership with the private sector, strategic plans will need to be put in place to initiate large-scale retrofitting and energy efficiency projects, for which sustainable design and energy efficient performance will be of paramount importance,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek
“Integrating with Building Management Systems (BMS), the HITEK digital solution is fully equipped to identify, design, deliver and finance energy reduction for and on behalf of building owners, which creates not only more cost-effective buildings but a cleaner environment,” he added.
Farnek has been a member of the Energy Services Company (ESCO) accreditation scheme since March 2017. The scheme was primarily set up to give building owners, and managers added confidence, that the accredited companies had the experience, capabilities, financial strength, HSE and related equipment, to retrofit buildings to international standards.
Under the ESCO programme there are two different business models, catering for the most popular approaches to energy performance contracting.
The shared savings model refers to ESCO investment into the equipment and materials to generate energy efficiency and is remunerated from a predetermined percentage of the savings generated.
The guaranteed savings is a more traditional model, whereby an ESCO would recommend implementing energy-saving solutions (ring-fenced by contractual key performance indicators) and the building owner provides the financing. Either way both contracts are intended to be fair and balanced and allocate risk proportionately between the ESCO and the building owner.
HITEK can also connect assets from multiple sites so they can be centrally monitored and managed by utilising the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technologies.
“By linking smart buildings with a digitally connected workforce, the system affords operational efficiencies and supports staff welfare. Customers can save up to 17% of their manpower costs by transferring from traditional FM operational management to HITEK’s smart management, which also reduces carbon emissions still further,” said Oberlin.
Farnek has a dedicated sustainability area on its stand, providing a comprehensive bouquet of green products and services. Farnek can help building owners with Net Zero strategic planning, from concept to implementation and management. It has consultants on hand to explain the benefits of energy audits and advise on waste management, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) as well as LEED certification.
For hotel and leisure properties, Farnek is the preferred partner of Green Globe Certification and can measure and benchmark energy and water consumption, using an online tool called Hotel Optimizer, as well as calculating carbon emissions.
Source: Construction Business News ME
Dubai Harbour, an extraordinary seafront district, welcomed the Swiss experimental vessel powered solely by renewables, PORRIMA, to its marinas on 17 March 2022, as part of its worldwide journey across five continents called the Blue Odyssey.
Choosing Dubai Harbour for its second world destination, the first-of-its-kind solar, wind and hydrogen-powered ship has travelled more than 11,000 kilometres without stopping since departing Osaka, Japan, on December 18, 2021.
Upon arrival at Dubai Harbour, the PORRIMA berthed at Harbour Marina in front of the Yacht Club building before unveiling a suite of renewable technologies that have been proven on board. It will invite the youth to join the ‘Blue Campus’ to learn the skills and build the talent around the showcased next-generation solutions to sustainable ocean industries and resource preservation.
Abdulla Binhabtoor, Chief Portfolio Management Officer, Shamal Holding, the company which owns Dubai Harbour, commented, "We are excited to welcome the PORRIMA to Dubai Harbour for its third odyssey around the globe. It is exciting to see how the intersection of technology and sustainability come together to help tackle the environmental challenges that we face today. Having just concluded our role as host of the Dubai International Boat Show, we witnessed a wide range of innovative, sustainable marine technology showcased at the show, which is a testament to the UAE’s dedication to promoting and embracing eco-friendly alternatives to protect our oceans. The PORRIMA brings sustainable mobility to the forefront, and we are committed to accelerating action to preserve a healthy planet for generations to come."
The journey, which aims to arrive at its destination after a refit with 12 novel technologies in time for the opening of the Expo 2025 Osaka, will see the vessel dock at ports around the world to demonstrate how to tackle problems such as pollution and climate change through the use of commercially viable renewable technologies. The project comes in response to a call to action from the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, which invites initiatives geared towards realising ‘an ideal future society.’ PORRIMA – named after the Roman goddess of the future – was the first in the world to circumnavigate the globe using only solar energy under its previous name, ‘Planet Solar’. Now, using solar, wind and hydrogen, the 36-metre 100-tonne vessel also utilises artificial intelligence and technologies inspired by nature. Just as lungs remove the CO2 from our blood, the same technique is used to clean seawater, isolate and destroy microplastics, making PORRIMA the only vessel in the word certified to produce and consume hydrogen on board.
The creator of the enterprise is the serial entrepreneur, economist, and author Gunter Pauli, who sets out to inspire the next generation with competitive and commercially viable renewable technologies and techniques. He said, "We need to wake up the entrepreneurs of the future, and I believe Dubai is the right place for this. The innovation and adoption of the kind of technologies that we are showcasing on the PORRIMA will have a fundamental role to play in the realisation of many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – and provide a blueprint for creating an ideal future society."
Having been involved in the invention of technologies in support of sustainable resource use, in 1994, Pauli founded the Tokyo-based Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives think tank at the United Nations University. This network of 3,000 scientists got the PORRIMA Blue Odyssey project up and running. Pauli is also the author of "The Blue Economy - A Report to the Club of Rome - 100 innovations - 10 years - 100 million jobs", translated to over 50 languages. The vessel will leave Dubai Harbour on the 31st of March to commemorate the closing of Expo 2022 and will continue its global voyage.
Source: WAM/Tariq alfaham
Bluewater, a leading innovator of premium water purification technologies and sustainable bottles, today (March 20) launched its pioneering premium residential and commercial water purifiers and sustainable bottles for the UAE and the GCC market at a key water symposium held in the Swedish Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The event was attended by leading local dignitaries including Nasser Mohd Hussain bin Lootah, Executive Vice President for Generation (P&W) at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) and business people from the Horeca industry.
Themed ‘Investing In Our Planet and The Water We Drink’, the launch symposium was co-hosted by Bluewater and the company’s exclusive Middle East distributor, NIA, a leading supplier of HVAC solutions, home living appliances, and health and wellness focused consumer electronics and home appliances brands across the GCC and Levant region.
"We are proud at Bluewater to make our health and lifestyle-enhancing, hyper-efficient water purification solutions and premium bottles more accessible throughout the UAE and GCC," said Bengt Rittri, founder and CEO of Bluewater.
Bluewater water purifiers harness patented second-generation reverse osmosis technology called SuperiorOsmosis to remove virtually all known pollutants from tap water, including lead, bacteria, pesticides, medical residues, chemicals, micro-plastics, and lime-scale.
NIA CEO Kamran Khan said: "We are pioneering an exciting new future of water for people with this launch of Bluewater’s water purifiers and sustainable bottles. And the timing could not be more perfect with Dubai’s leadership setting a new sustainability course with its newly announced initiatives to reduce the need for single-use plastic bottles."
Bluewater Chief Transformation Officer Haleh Nia said the company has put ending the need for single use plastic bottles at the very heart of its business mission and innovating a unique ecosphere with its water purifiers and premium re-useable bottles designed to help consumers quit single-use plastic bottles.
Bluewater is a brand whose mission and values of sustainability are perfectly aligned with NIA’s and demonstrate it is possible to build reuseability into business models, he stated.
Bluewater CEO Bengt Rittri stated that his company was committed to further developing technologies that deliver people clean water they can trust alongside solutions like environmentally friendly re-useable bottles, localized micro-bottling systems that end the need for transporting throwaway plastic bottles, and emergency first-response kits and vehicles for natural catastrophe and conflict zones.
Rittri is a Swedish environmental entrepreneur who earlier founded Blueair, an air purification company later acquired by Unilever. Since 2013 he has forged Bluewater into a purpose-driven water company providing leading-edge water purification technology solutions for homes, businesses, and public dispensing.
"Plastic pollution is headline news, but it is only part of the bigger water problem. In 2022, we live in a world where few on the planet can take having access to safe, great-tasting water for granted," stated Rittri.
"Around the world, various studies have shown that millions of people are drinking tap water that includes an invisible toxic cocktail made up of chemical, microplastic, and other contaminants linked to cancer, brain damage, and additional health issues," he added.
Source: Zawya
In cooperation between Aqdar, Blue Forest Company and Kenya’s forestry authorities, Khalifa Empowerment Program Aqdar has completed the first phase of the “Fifty Tree” initiative campaign, which was launched at Aqdar World Summit Dubai Expo 2020. It aims to plant 50,000 mangrove trees in the Republic of Kenya in celebration of the UAE’s Year of the 50th and Kenya's 2030 development vision.
The tree planting was completed over a period of six months with the help of 144 volunteers from two local NGOs; Forest Restoration Agency and the Brain Youth Group. The work was overseen by the Regional Director of Kenya Forest Service to ensure compliance with Kenya’s tree planting, maintenance, protection and conservation standards.
The mangroves were planted in an area of 5 Hectares along Tudor Creek. That area was once a lush mangrove forest spanning over 1,641 Hectares. Today, only 215 Hectares or 13% remain of that forest. Kenya Forest Service, the Custodian of all of Kenya’s forests, is supporting grass-roots efforts by local NGOs to reverse the forest loss in Tudor Creek.
The project was funded with the help of the Tree for 50 corporate partners which include: Deloitte, SAP, Amazon, Speedo, Edrington, Rotary Club, DimensionN and Quest for Adventure.
Hon. Kariuki Mugwe, Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to the UAE commented: “The Kenyan people are extremely grateful to the Tree for 50 stakeholders for their contribution in the restoration of our Mother Nature which we all depend on for our survival”
Dr. Ibrahim Aldabal, CEO of Khalifa Empowerment Program said: “We are proud to partner with Blue Forest and the Kenyan Authorities to implement this important environmental project, through which we write a new chapter in our journey towards placing global positive citizenship and sustainability at the core of our activities, which enhances international efforts to confront future climate changes.”
Vahid Fotuhi, Founder and CEO of Blue Forest, the company executing the project added: “Kenya’s mangrove forests are among the most beautiful and carbon-rich in the world. We are
honoured to be entrusted by AQDAR and KFS to do our part and, with the help of the local communities, restore the mighty mangrove forest of Tudor Creek.”
With Phase 1 now completed, the partners are aiming to restore the wider Tudor Creek mangrove forest as part of Phase 2. This will involve planting and protecting 10 million mangroves, in partnership with Community Forest Association members.
For media queries, contact Nick Moore: +971 52 616 4789 or nick.moore@upagency.org
About AQDAR
The Khalifa Empowerment Program (AQDAR) is a community program that aims to empower all segments of society of all ages to face various challenges and empower them with the skills, knowledge and tools necessary to deal with present and future challenges to enhance the roles of society and enable them to creativity and innovation in what will service the human community. AQDAR was represented at the event by H.E. Sultan Al Ketbi, General Coordinator.
About Blue Forest
Blue Forest is a UAE-based developer of mangrove reforestation projects around the world. The company is currently restoring 400,000 Hectares of degraded mangrove forests located in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The projects are financed through carbon credits, with the majority of the proceeds channeled to the local communities which live alongside the forests. For more information, please visit: www.blueforest.co
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – or drones – have emerged as the newest weapon in the battle against climate change. From aerial surveys to monitoring and inspection, drones are being used track wildlife numbers, collect samples and track methane emissions.
“Drones can be a critical asset when tackling sustainability,” says Rabih Bou Rached Founder and CEO of FEDS – Drone Powered Solutions. “They can either reduce your carbon footprint as a by-product or be intentionally used as a tool to improve sustainability.”
Established in the UAE in 2014, the company is now ranked among the top 20 mapping, surveying and inspection providers by Drone Industry Insights, a market intelligence firm.
FEDS is a success partner of the Living Business programme and provides technical expertise for project customers. Its solutions range from 3D mapping and land surveying way through to progress monitoring and inspection across a wide range of industries, including construction and oil and gas.
Often called the steam engines of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), drones are proving their worth in doing dirty, dull, dangerous – and data-rich – jobs.
They have a particularly outsize impact in terms of sustainability, presenting industries with the opportunity to move to more environmentally friendly business models in response to increasing pressure from consumers and regulators alike.
How drones improve sustainable outcomes
“The most significant benefit of drones is their data,” Bou Rached says. “You can conduct large-scale environmental research to quantify a nation’s natural reserves. Armed with that knowledge, you can make educated and precise decisions on how to allocate resources and what steps need to be taken to preserve these resources. From farms to largescale agronomic projects, drones improve resource efficiency tremendously.”
The UAE has already used a drone-powered asset survey to count wildlife, livestock and vegetation across 1,100 sqkm of its area – an expanse spanning mountains, wadis, deserts and beaches. UAVs are ideally positioned to achieve these goals as compared to existing options. Satellite imagery cannot achieve the necessary clarity, while a terrestrial fact-gathering expedition would not be completed in time to create a meaningful data set. With drones, the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCaE) mapped the entire area in 64 days.
Drones offer other ways for organisations to achieve their net-zero goals, directly and indirectly.
Drone inspections of remote facilities, for example, can be cheaper and less labour intensive than manual exercises, delivering sustainability benefits by lowering costs, unlocking efficiencies and reducing resource waste.
Similarly, delivery drones are speeding up last-mile logistics solutions, minimising CO2 emissions in the process.
More directly, specially equipped drones find application in precision agriculture, gathering geo-referenced multispectral data and then dispense seeds, pesticides, and fertilisers for optimal resource efficiency.
In waste management, customised drones help offset carbon emissions through reforestation, sustainable logistics and detecting methane emissions to generate clean energy.
It’s no wonder that Bou Rached has seen demand for UAV solutions explode in recent years. His company has grown alongside, having partnered with the Aerodyne Group, the Malaysia-based industry leader, in 2020. “FEDS has expanded at an exponential rate. In just a few years, we’ve outgrown three offices, and we’re going to shift again within a few months. We will have gone from three people to about 45 now, with a projection to hit 100 staff next year,” he says.
In part, that has been because of his team’s role in educating the market on sustainability and in working closely with the government to realise wide-scale drone deployments safely and effectively. “We want to make drone solutions more accessible,” Bou Rached says. “To make that happen, we’ve set up a new expansion, The Drone Centre, to help businesses and organisations integrate drone technology into their operations and train them for success.”
But with the world embracing a paradigm shift, businesses are increasingly looking to improve their environmental credentials. With about 80% of large companies now reporting on sustainability, according to KPMG, the role of UAVs will only become more important in the years ahead.
