PM NAJIB VISITS CARBON-NEUTRAL MASDAR CITY

From Muin Abdul Majid

ABU DHABI, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak said a study will be conducted on alternative energy being developed by Abu Dhabi to see whether the technologies involved can be adopted in Malaysia.

"If this is the case, then we'll encourage Masdar City and the Mubadala Development Company to invest or collaborate with partners in Malaysia to develop alternative energy in our country," he said.

He told the Malaysian media this before departing for home after a one-day working visit to Abu Dhabi where he opened the "Invest Malaysia 2011" forum Sunday.

Najib took the opportunity to visit Masdar City, a carbon-neutral
development costing billions of dollars in the desert of Abu Dhabi.

Masdar City is a high-density and pedestrian-friendly development where current and future renewable energy and clean technologies are showcased, marketed, researched, developed, tested and implemented.

Elaborating, Najib said the study would look into, among others, the cost aspects of using renewable energy sources like the sun and wind.

"We want to know, for example, the cost of solar energy per kilowatt hour, whether this is a viable option vis-a-vis the energy that is being produced through the national power grid," he said.

Malaysia, he said, was also keen to learn more about UAE's experience in nuclear energy development.

With a planned population of 50,000 as well as hundreds of businesses, Masdar City will integrate the full range of renewable energy and sustainability technologies, across a living and working community.

Masdar, a multi-faceted renewable energy company, is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company, the investment vehicle of the Abu Dhabi government.

Elaborating, Najib said the study would look into, among others, the cost aspects of using renewable energy sources like the sun and wind.

"We want to know, for example, the cost of solar energy per kilowatt hour, whether this is a viable option vis-a-vis the energy that is being produced through the national power grid," he said.

Malaysia, he said, was also keen to learn more about UAE's experience in
nuclear energy development.

With a planned population of 50,000 as well as hundreds of businesses, Masdar City will integrate the full range of renewable energy and sustainability technologies, across a living and working community.

Masdar, a multi-faceted renewable energy company, is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company, the investment vehicle of the Abu Dhabi government.