National Water and Energy Center

Vision, Mission & Objectives

Vision

To achieve leadership and innovation in research and community services in water resources and energy harvesting, storage, and efficiency.

Mission

To address water resources, energy, and environmental challenges in arid and semi-arid regions through innovative, integrated, interdisciplinary approaches while working closely with stakeholders. In addition, to implementing scientific and applied research and to operate in collaboration with concerned national, regional, and international authorities and agencies to ensure the sustainability of water resources, energy, and environmental systems. Moreover, endeavor to improve the quality of life while preserving the natural resources and support the UAEU’s visibility and reputation.

Objectives

The main objective of the NWEC is to provide a robust and interdisciplinary framework that can identify suitable future development scenarios, selection criteria and intervention options resulting in more reliable, resilient, and sustainable water resources and energy uses. The NWEC aims to pursue a holistic and innovative approach for research, development, as well as the deployment of key technologies to generate solutions that contribute to all water-energy related development goals. Moreover, the NWEC contributes to advancement of the body of knowledge and resolve problems related to water resources, energy, and environmental systems in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in UAE. The NWEC peruses to establish and consolidate its image as one of the most prestigious research centers at the international level in the areas of energy, water resources, and environment. The specific objectives of the NWEC include, but may not be limited to:

• Bring innovations and integrated sustainable designs to the technology and facilitate nature-based, broadly applicable solutions for water-energy-environment related challenges to contribute to the national water and energy security.
• Provide cutting-edge research and outstanding consultancy services in water-energy-environment domains that are informed and supported by focused analysis and stakeholder engagement.
• Engage stakeholders to strengthen the overall activities and outcomes by sharpening the understanding of end-user needs, regional considerations, and other data sets, while helping to identify pathways and potential partners for deployment and implementation.
• Address and produce solutions tackling the vulnerability, efficiency improvements and cost reductions of water resources and energy systems without adverse impacts on the environment.
• Deploy a platform and an integrated research scheme to improve the understanding of water-energy-environment issues and inform decision-making.
• Develop regional and international reputation and collaboration and provide a platform for collaborative research across colleges, research centers, and other institutions.
• Attract and secure funding for talented PhD students to strategically target multidisciplinary and crosscutting research, innovation, and technology and deploy opportunities within water and energy sectors.
• Launch relevant initiatives that will expand the interdisciplinary perspective of the research in the water-energy security and environmental sustainability.
• Develop a community outreach tool, which comprises a web site, newsletters, publications, media programs, videos, and others, aiming at advancing public understanding and raising the public awareness on water and energy conservation and environmental sustainability.
• Establish new research areas emerging from both disciplines in an integrated manner leading to significant synergistic benefits and improved water and energy security and environmental sustainability.
• Employ data modeling and analysis approach to enhance the resilience, efficiency, and competitiveness of water-energy-environmental systems.
• Develop and improve the efficiency of desalination technologies that are powered by renewable energy systems.
• Adopt and enhance the public dialogue regarding the water-energy-environment issues.
• Develop innovative approaches in using treated municipal wastewater to extract energy and replace freshwater in thermoelectric power plants.
• Organizations of Scientific conferences, Symposiums, Seminars and Workshops on related areas.