Abu Dhabi project focuses on sustainable food and biofuel production

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (photo credit : aircuity)

Abu Dhabi will soon establish a facility to conduct detailed research on the feasibility of jointly producing food and biofuel in a sustainable manner, reports The National.

The project conceived by Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, will be funded through Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium, collaboration between the Etihad Airways, Boeing and other companies.

Expected to be operational by late summer, the facility will come up at Masdar City.

In order to produce crops with minimum environmental impact, the project will use seawater and the facility will establish six saltwater aquaculture ponds where fish and shrimp will be grown.

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (photo credit : aircuity)
Masdar Institute of Science and Technology
(photo credit : aircuity)

The nutrients produced in the aquaculture process will be used to grow salt-tolerant crops and plants as the water circulates into eight crop fields.

From the crop fields the water will be directed to swamps with the aid of solar-powered pumps where mangroves will filter the remaining nutrients in the water.

During the building process, it will be taken into consideration that the system does not interact with the soil and groundwater at the test site so that scientists can precisely measure the quality of the water.

The team will study on the optimal temperature and salinity thresholds for the plants and animals to be produced. It will also be checked whether the nutrients produced in the aquaculture plants will be enough to completely replace the use of fertilizer.

UAE has been demonstrating the viability and importance of biofuel development and investment due to long-term environmental concerns.

In January 2014, Etihad Airways commercial aircraft took a flight powered by bio fuel produced from plant matter.

Sabeena Wahid
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