Thursday, October 31, 2019

Mathematical Methods in Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mathematical Methods in Business - Assignment Example The function below approximates the weekly box office receipts for a popular movie, where x = the number of weeks the movie has been playing.  The function below approximates the weekly box office receipts for a popular movie, where x = the number of weeks the movie has been playing.  What is the rate of change of weekly receipts per theater after 10 weeks?The selling price of a product is $400, and the manufacturer is able to sell every unit it makes. The cost of producing x units is given by this formula.A company has developed a function that describes its profit over time. The x variable measures time. If the first derivative of the function is negative at a value of x, it means that the company is not making a profit at that point in time.A function has the characteristics listed in the bullets below. Use the characteristics to construct a rough sketch of the function using this x axis:_________________________________________________________________________________-20                   -15                   -10                  -5                     0                     5                   10                   15                   20†¢ The function has three critical points†¢ When x = -20, the first derivative is positive†¢ When x = -10, the first derivative is zero and the second derivative is negative†¢ When x = 5, the first derivative is zero†¢ When x = 15, the first derivative is zero indicates whether each of these statements is true or false11. T F When x = 0, the first derivative is positive12. T F When x = 5 the second derivative is positive13. T F When x = 15 the second derivative is positive14. T F the basic shape of this curve is more like an M than a W15. T F For any value of x larger than 15, the first derivative will always be negative

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Epidemics In America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Epidemics In America - Essay Example Merkel discusses the six epidemics in light of their biological context, their discovery, their distribution, their spread and their prevention of control. Most of the diseases discussed were due to viruses and bacteria. As discussed in the course, a virus is an a-cellular micro-organism. The book elaborates on it. The virus can only reproduce inside living cells where it multiplies. Aids happen due to a virus called HIV. This virus belongs to a virus class known as the retrovirus. Retroviruses are a type of viruses that are made of the RNA or the ribonucleic acid. The RNA makes up for the genetic composition of the retroviruses. HIV first infects the cell. Once the cell has been infected, HIV uses reverse transcriptase to transform RNA into DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. The DNA keeps on replicating itself by making use of the cell and its machinery. Merkel also spoke about why symptoms of AID take time to show in humans. This is because HIV is a slow virus. The subgroup of viruses t hat it belongs to is known lent viruses or slow viruses. Merkel like-wise elaborates on the biological background of tuberculosis. The concept has also been discussed in class. This disease is caused by a mycobacterium. Mycobacterium was the primary causative agent of tuberculosis back then. Another bacteria called Vibrio cholera is the primary causative agent of cholera. Back then there were no advance medical facilities to deal with these diseases, hence the results of the outbreak used to be even more drastic and worse?... Most of the diseases discussed were due to viruses and bacteria. As discussed in the course, a virus is an a-cellular micro-organism. The book elaborates on it. The virus can only reproduce inside living cells where it multiplies. Aids happen due to a virus called HIV. This virus belongs to a virus class known as retrovirus. Retroviruses are a type of viruses that are made of the RNA or the ribonucleic acid. The RNA makes up for the genetic composition of the retroviruses. HIV first infects the cell. Once the cell has been infected, HIV uses reverse transcriptase to transform RNA into DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. The DNA keeps on replicating itself by making use of the cell and its machinery. Merkel also spoke about why symptoms of AID take time to show in humans. This is because HIV is a slow virus. The subgroup of viruses that it belongs to is known lent viruses or slow viruses. Merkel like-wise elaborates on the biological background of tuber-culosis. The concept has also been di scussed in class. This disease is caused by a myco-bacterium. Mycobacterium was the primary causative agent of tuberculosis back then. Another bactetia called vibrio cholera is the primary causative agent of cholera. Back then there were no advance medical facilities to deal with these diseases, hence the results of the outbreak used to be even more drastic and worse? Markel’s explains, rather elaborately six major infectious diseases i.e. tuberculosis plague, typhus, cholera, AIDS and bubonic plague. Most of the epidemics were due to bacteria. Typhus was caused by a bacterium called Ricktessia. The prevalent of epidemics due to bacteria was particularly emphasized.Merkel makes special reference to Koach’s postulate for disease causation in his book. Pathogen is present in all

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Ford Motor Companys Human resource management

Ford Motor Companys Human resource management Executive Summary Human resource management is one of the pillars on which stands the foundation of any and every organization. It deals with various aspects of organizational structure and looks into several organizational policies thereby playing a vital role in strategic planning of an organization. Though human resource management is a vast topic, job analysis and recruiting processes are highly significant. Thus, through this weekly summary, this paper will answer various discussion questions pertaining to the same. This essay will look at Ford pertaining to the organizational infrastructure including recruiting procedures, job descriptions, its elements, classifications, job analysis and methodologies as well as elements has a major scope in the corporate world. However, what I found the most important as well as the most interesting and pragmatic sub topic through this weeks learning experience is all about performance appraisal or performance evaluation. Performance appraisal is a â€Å"distinct and formal management procedure used in the evaluation of work performance† (Introduction: Performance Appraisal) or as the detailed definition of the procedure suggests, performance evaluation a structured formal interaction between a subordinate and supervisor, that usually takes the form of a periodic interview (annual or semi-annual), in which the work performance of the subordinate is examined and discussed, with a view to identifying weaknesses and strengths as well as opportunities for improvement and skills development† (Introduction: Performance Appraisal). Hence, the importance of performance evaluation becomes obvious and can be applied to our organization through various methodologies including graphic scale, checklist, forced choice, ranking, paired comparison, forced distribution, MBO, and BARS (Dessler, 2000) as well as with the aid of incentives, bonuses and word of appreciation and a pat on the back. Research by Luis et al. (2001) suggests that performance evaluation when applied adequately can reap massive fruitful results including improved customer satisfaction diffusing from employee satisfaction, ameliorated work performance and product quality, ease in retaining trained and diligent work force and so on and so forth. Business Strategy Review: Ford Motor Company is a global corporation made up of the worlds most recognizable cars, trucks, and Suvs (www.fordmotorcompany.com). It consists of eight major companies that can be separated into three categories based on their origins. First there is Mazda, which comes from Japan. Next we have the American automotives, which are Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury. The third group consists of European cars, and they are Land Rover, Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Volvo. Together they make the Ford Motor company the worlds second largest manufacturer of cars and trucks. The Japanese company offers consumers a wide range of prices, because of this people of all economical stature buy their products. Together the three American companies provide the same price ranges. Finally, the European line is strictly for the high rollers. In this essay, I have researched these eight companies and found that the reason for the Ford Motor Companies success lies within the fact that they have all the consumer gr oups covered. The only company in the first group is Mazda. For the less financially endowed, they have the Protege, and the 626.Those with a little more money might go for the luxury of the Millenia, or perhaps the Miata if they are looking for a sportier car. Mazda also makes a minivan, for all the soccer moms and large families, called the MPV. Price ranges for all of these automotives come from $12,000 and go up to $33,000. The second group also covers the price ranges fairly well. Ford takes care of the cheaper cars with its Focus and Escort, which go for $11,000-12,500. The Explorer is the most purchased SUV in the world, probably because its right in the price range of most working Americans at $16,000-35,000 (except for teachers of course). One of the most popular cars that Ford produces is the Mustang, its got a legacy in America that is backed up by the thousands of people who purchase it ever year, most of which are males that have been blessed with money at an early age. A Mustang starts at $21,000 and goes up to $32,000. Then we have the Lincoln, purchased by the rich retired people and the Mafia. All the Lincolns are sleek, luxurious, and expensive. These cars are large and powerful, giving both safety and comfort to their owners. Recently the Navigator was developed, and provided the wealthy people of America with an SUV of their own. At last we come to the third group. All these companies fit well together because of their prices, they are all priced over $36,000. Land Rover provides amazing SUVs to those who have the ability to purchase them. The next three, with the addition of Lincoln, make up the Ford Motor Companies Premier Automotive Group. These three companies aim their sales at upscale consumers worldwide. The Aston Martin is known for its high-tech products, and its high prices as well. Jaguar is an amazing car that combines sportiveness, elegance, and raw power. Volvo itself stands for safety, durability, and a premium mode of transp ort. One cannot drive down any road without seeing a Volvo at some point. The European cars provide toys for even the wealthiest of people and back their prices by producing the most precise and breathtaking cars to hit the road. HR Strategy Planning and strategic decisions about recruiting include both internal and external recruiting. There are various internal sources of recruiting that work effectively to accomplish the targeted organizational goals. As Buford, Bedeian Lindner (1995) Zoller (1996) define, â€Å"recruiting is the process of generating a sufficiently large group of applicants from which to select qualified individuals for available jobs† and apart from the external sources including media advertising, walk-ins, public and private employment agencies, educational institutions, state agencies, government programs, direct recruiting (Lindner Zoller), there are internal sources that are effective. These internal sources of recruiting include employee referrals and internal job postings (Lindner Zoller). Good, experienced, trained and hard working employees when make referrals, organizations must feel obliged. This is because, employee referral is one internal source that has so far proved quite effective in the recruiting procedure worldwide. Employee referrals minimize the work load and share the responsibility with the management which otherwise remains solely responsible for recruiting the right people at the right time (Lindner Zoller). What makes this internal source effective is the reason that those applicants that are referred by the working employees have a clearer picture of the organizational expectations, aims and vision and can shape their expectations from the organization and their duties accordingly in a better fashion than applicants that are recruited directly through other sources (Lindner Zoller). Another very effective internal source of recruiting is internal job postings. Vacancies year round can be filled in by the working as well as the deserving employees that can be found, located and analyzed internally through the application of performance appraisal. â€Å"These vacancies may represent promotions (upward moves) or transfers (lateral moves). Posting and circulating notices of vacancies maximizes employee awareness of job openings. The notice should include such items as title, department, job summary, qualifications, and salary and should be placed on bulletin boards, announced in meetings, and otherwise communicated to employees† (Lindner Zoller). Thus, this internal source of recruiting remains effective to date as it involves internal inspection and review of the working employees without having to tap the external sources. Interviewing is one of the principal elements of recruiting and obviously the most crucial of all. Both the interviewer as well as the interviewee need to be well-prepared, focused, confident and most of all considerate and well- informed. However, an interviewer must have a clear knowledge what he or she can and must or should ask. The kinds of questions depend basically on the types of interviews. There are roughly and generally three kinds of interviews that classify the types of questions that an interviewer can ask the applicant during the process of recruitment (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc). These types include: (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.) Ø Structured Interview (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.) Ø Unstructured Interview (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.) Ø Behavioral Interview (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.) Hence, an interviewer can ask direct, highly focused, rigid, limited, specific and definitive questions with the aid of â€Å"Structured interviews† (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.). These questions include pointed questions that belong to a particular set of questions or are a part of the sequence. Through unstructured interviews, an interviewer can ask questions that are more â€Å"conversational† and involve a rather â€Å"give and take of information† (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.). In addition to the above, an interviewer can ask questions as classified by the behavioral interviews wherein â€Å"the interviewer will ask very pointed questions regarding how you have handled specific kinds of situations, or how you would anticipate dealing with the kinds of challenges presented on the job. A sample question in a behavioral interview might be describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see thing s your way or describe a time you dealt with a difficult customer or co-worker† (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.). Sample questions that an interviewer may ask, include the following: (*All questions are taken verbatim from the research sources under consideration) What are your career goals and objectives? (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.) Tell me something about yourself. (Insurance Staffing Consultants Inc.) What do you see yourself doing five years from now? (Mulligan) How do you make yourself indispensable to a company? (Mulligan) Whats your greatest strength? (Mulligan) Whats your greatest weakness? (Mulligan) Tell me about a time when your course load was heavy. How did you complete all your work? (Mulligan) Tell me about a time when you had to accomplish a task with someone who was particularly difficult to get along with. (Mulligan) How do you accept direction and, at the same time, maintain a critical stance regarding your ideas and values? (Mulligan) What are some examples of activities and surroundings that motivate you? (Mulligan) Tell me how you handled an ethical dilemma. (Mulligan) Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a problem with no rules or guidelines in place. (Mulligan) However, where there are certain guidelines for interviewers for asking the possible questions that can be termed as positive. Interviewers must be very careful regarding the critical as well as responsible job that they are shouldering. On the same account, interviewers must not ask certain questions that should be avoided. These interview questions include those questions that might provoke the interviewee. In addition to the above, questions that are capable of or have even a slight probability of providing a cultural clash or serve as communication barriers or are too personal must not be inquired by the interviewee who is the prospective employee of the company. Questions that are capable of compelling the applicants to get off the track and get offended or burst out must be avoided at all costs. Discriminatory questions or questions that reflect the interviewers bias or prejudice or suggest offensive remarks or the â€Å"systems† prejudice must be avoided at the time of the interview. Moreover, in case of the interviewer and the interviewee belonging to different genders, questions that suggest gender discrimination thereby arousing sentiments of resentment must also be avoided. Thus all sorts of questions or statements that have even the slightest possibility of creating negative emotions including irritation, mental disturbance, feelings of resentment, hatred or might offend (and so on and so forth) the interviewee must be avoided by the interviewer during the process of recruitment that is while interviewing. Budget: Flexible Staffing Flexible staffing options have various advantages as well as disadvantages. Here is a list pertaining to the same: Ø â€Å"Temporary reassignment† is one of the primary flexible staffing options. With the help of temporary reassignment, organizations can â€Å"cross-train† their employees thereby generating â€Å"generalists and specialists† (Flexible staffing Options).however, disadvantages include affected employee morale. This is because â€Å"the employee may feel that management is using him or her. Clear and positive communication is essential in these situations† (Flexible staffing Options). Moreover, â€Å"managers must monitor the assignment and determine a course of action should the assignment become permanent† (Flexible staffing Options). Ø â€Å"Job Sharing† is another form of flexible staffing. It also has various advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include the following: Ø Organizations benefit economically in a way that they save fifty percent of the performance incentives when employees share duties and do not hold full-time status (Flexible staffing Options). Moreover, the over time charges are also occasionally applicable and â€Å"employee satisfaction and productivity is often increased because the job structure has provided the hours needed to meet personal concerns and he/she generally has the energy and motivation to produce more in less time† (Flexible staffing Options). Ø However, there are several jobs that cannot have a dual nature and therefore cannot simply be shared among employees. Furthermore, the â€Å"paperwork† increases to almost double when more employees are working on the similar tasks. â€Å"Job sharers would need to have similar organizational styles, be able to communicate effectively and efficiently, and work together well and if one job sharer resigns, it can sometimes be difficult to recruit another person in a timely manner to share the position† (Flexible staffing Options). Conclusion Hence from the above discussion, it is evident that human resource management is a vast field with a wide scope and offers a rich array of sub fields regarding personnel management as the weekly summary suggests. Success of the recruitment plan can be gauged with the aid of constant review and weekly or bi- monthly or monthly and quite often annual evaluation of the recruitment plan. Thorough scrutiny can reveal the weaknesses and strengths of the recruitment plan thereby revealing the success factor of the recruiting and staffing strategies. The performance of the recruiters both the recently hired employees and the previously more trained employees can be used as one of the most obvious, pragmatic, clear and expedient metric to evaluate the success of the recruitment plan. Sound and professionally efficient performance of the recruiters will imply that the recruitment plan is successful. Lethargic and upsetting performance by the recruiters that might disturb the organizational equilibrium and serve as the obstacle in the path of the organizations success can be used as the evaluation tool for the success of the recruitment plan. Moreover, review of the recruitment plan in terms of the guid elines given by various consulting firms and other organizations can also help in gauging the success of the recruitment plan. The best way to handle a candidates competing job offer is to exactly know the requirements or simply put the demands of the candidate. If money is the motivator or professional prestige in terms of the designation or a fancy title is what the candidate is looking for, simply hit the point and provide him with better incentives, bonuses or an attractive package which he finds far better than the opposing firm. Moreover, look for the weaknesses of the competing firm and try to focus on your strengths and bargain accordingly both with the candidate and the competitor if need arise. In order to make a recruiting plan work for the well-being of ones organization, it is highly significant that ALL the strategic recruiting considerations must be addressed by the human resource managers in a recruiting plan. This is because if the strategic recruiting considerations are not addressed, chances are that the organization might fall prey to the highly competitive nature of the corporate world. With the world rapidly transmuting into a global village, firms need to be strategically sound in their recruitment procedures in order to hire the best possible employees available to the market thereby generating huge profits and augmenting customer satisfaction as well as establishing their reputation as a successful brand name. Hence, if the strategic recruiting considerations have loopholes, the organization will fail to have an experienced and well-trained as well as competent workforce essential for the accomplishment of the organizational goals. References 1. Introduction to performance appraisal. Retrieved July 6, 2003 from: http://www.performance-appraisal.com/intro.htm 2. Dessler G (2000). Human Resource Management, Eighth Edition. Copyright 2000, 1997, 1994, 1991, 1988 by Prentice-Hall, Inc. Compilation. Copyright _ 2002 by Pearson Custom Publishing. 3. Luis R. Go ´ mez-Meji ´a, Balkin D. Robert L Managing Human Resources, Third Edition. Copyright _ 2001 by Prentice-Hall A Pearson Education Company, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. 4. Buford, J. A., Jr., Bedeian, A. G., Lindner, J. R. (1995). Management in Extension (3rd ed.). Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State University Extension. Zoller, C. (1996). Filling a Position in a Small Business, Extension Fact Sheet: Small Business Series, Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State University Extension 5. Lindner Zoller. Recruiting employees for small businesses: a little planning goes a long way. . Retrieved July 6, 2003 from: http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/1382.html 6. Interview Tips. Insurance Staffing Consultants. Retrieved July 6, 2003 from: http://www.insurancestaffing.net/interview_tip00.htm 7. Mulligan B. Interviewers Favorite Questions and Answers. Retrieved July 6, 2003 from: http://www.jobweb.com/Resources/Library/Interviews__Resumes/Interviewers_92_01.htm 8. Flexible Staffing Options. Retrieved July 6, 2003 from: http://www.ps.vt.edu/supervisorscorner/flexstaff/

Friday, October 25, 2019

Chaucers Vivid Characters :: essays papers

Chaucers Vivid Characters Essay- Chaucer’s Vivid Characters Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is so poignant that it almost single-handedly defines a whole epoch in history. It is the people living in the time period who define the era, and it was Chaucer who described the people living in the Middle Ages. Just describing a few people in an offhand way would not have had a profound impact. Chaucer’s writings did have impact because he characterized every social class using very vivid characters. Describing his characters with much vividness is key for that is what defines the way the reader feels about the character and the degree of power of association the reader makes with the character. Hence, the vividness of the character is directly proportional to how pointed his work is which creates the tone. Themes and proportions are tools Chaucer uses to create his tone. The more vivid the character is, the more pointed the message. For example, his writing is very vivid as to how ugly the Summoner is. Thus indicating Chaucer’s e xtreme dislike for what the Summoner represents. Through the use of literary tone, the characters of the Wife of Bath and the Summoner are described very vividly. Through The Wife of Bath, Chaucer gives an example of a freethinking individual. In regards to virginity, the Wife of Bath said, â€Å"advice is not commandment, no; He left the thing to our own judgment so.† This statement was very extraordinary for it’s time as it questioned the sanctimonious state of virginity. Moreover, the Wife of Bath is attributed with reasoning powers, which was probably not a common practice when portraying women in those times. The Wife of Bath gives an example of a character that is an independent thinker very much like Chaucer himself. Chaucer’s tone when describing the Wife of Bath was sensuous. Her face being fair with red hue and her buttocks large as she sat upon an ambler gives vivid impression of a tactile and visual nature. She had a bold face that coincides with her strong character. Not only does the tone conjure up pleasure; it also expresses mental thoughtfulness. It questions the church’s foundation of St. Peter’s ideas about virginity. Chaucer uses the Wife of Bath to indirectly express the church’s inconsistency in regards to the natural propagation of the human race and virginity. The Wife of Bath is honest. She feels no shame in ‘dancing the old dance of love’.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Early and Middle Adulthood Paper Essay

In this paper, I will discus two theories that are related to early and middle adulthood. Also, I will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each of the theories. The two theories that I have selected are Erikson’s Intimacy versus isolation to explain the early adulthood stage, and the Life Events Approach theory. In the Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory (intimacy versus isolation stage), Intimacy can be explained as â€Å"is the ability to fuse ones identity with that of another person without fear of loosing it† (Feist, 2008, 258). It further means an ability and willingness to share a mutual trust. It involves sacrifice, compassion, commitment and so on. Isolation on the other hand, is the psychosocial counterpart of intimacy. It is defined as â€Å"the incapacity to take chances with ones identity by sharing true intimacy† (Feist, 2008, 259). Erikson believed that there should be a fine ratio between the intimacy and isolation; as too much isolation can further cause problems such as depression. Love is the basic strength that is gained as a result from the crisis of intimacy versus isolation). According to Erikson, love includes intimacy but it also contains some degree of isolation, because each partner is permitted to retain a separate identity (Feist, 2008). Strengths†¢His theory gave a life span developmental process. †¢His theory explains each stage in detail including the time frame, and the changes involved. †¢He addressed it is important to move through the stages in order or it could causes crisis. †¢Extended Freud’s theory into different developmental stages such as adolescence, adulthood and old age. †¢Claimed that growth occurs across the life span. †¢Places emphasis on social and historical influences on development in his theory†¢Conflict between the opposing elements of each phase produces an ego strength or basic strength. Weaknesses†¢His theory is not based on scientific evidence. †¢His psychosocial developmental theory does not take into consideration different cultures of the world. †¢The age groups with the developmental stages do not sound consistent. †¢Generalizes that everyone goes through the same psychosocial developmental stages. The Life-Events ApproachIn the earlier version, some events such as a death of a spouse, divorce and marriage could be life changing and could influence an individual’s development. In other words, such events could force the individual to change their personality as they bring along lot of stress. However, contemporary life-events approach emphasizes that individuals personality development does not only depend on the life events itself but also on mediating factors (physical health, family supports, for example), the individual’s adaptation to the life event (appraisal of the threat, coping strategies, for example), the life-stage context, and the sociohistorical context (Santrock, 2008). Strengths†¢Helpful addition to understanding adult development. †¢Takes into perspective life stressors and other mediating variables that could influence ones development. Weakness †¢The life-events approach places too much emphasis on change. †¢It does not adequately recognize the stability characterizes adult  development. †¢It overlooks daily events that could be very stressful as well for individuals. Therefore, in this paper, I have discussed two theories related to early and middle adulthood in detail. The two theories are Erikson’s and the life events approach theory. Also, I have discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. References Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2008) Theories of Personality (7th edition). New York: McGraw-HillSantrock, J. W. (2008). Essentials of life-span development. NY: McGraw-Hill.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Current Legislation Essay

Introduction As a teacher I must ensure that current legislative requirements are met. Gravells (2008) states that there is legislation that applies to the entire lifelong learning sector. There are also areas of legislation that apply to particular courses. This paper explains the general areas relevant to me and the areas I must also consider in teaching Business Administration and Planning. Legislation Relevant to the Lifelong Learning Sector General Legislation Although ECM refers to learners to the age of 19, OFSTED applies it to the performance of FE colleges. The Protection of Children Act 1999 legislates that teachers must have current Enhanced Disclosure checks by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988 and The Data Protection Act 1998 also apply. Human Rights, Diversity and Equality The six areas of diversity in law are disability, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation and religion / belief. Discrimination is forbidden in these areas by legislation including: †¢Sex Discrimination Act 1975 †¢Race Relations Act 1976 (amended 2000) †¢Human Rights Act 1998 †¢Equal Opportunities Act 2004 †¢DDA – Disability & Discrimination Act 1995 †¢DDA Part 4 Code of Practice 1995 †¢SENDA – Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 Health and Safety Petty (2009) confirms that the sector has a responsibility to provide a safe environment for learners. This is also where specific needs for specific courses arise. Generally, the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 and the Management of the Health & Safety at Work Act always apply. For Business Administration and Planning The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 is an example of HSE legislation relevant to my own area. Conversely the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and COSHH – Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 do not apply to my work. Codes of Practice I am also responsible for fulfilling responsibilities prescribed in Codes of Practice. For example, I must register with the Institute for Learning and comply with their Code of Professional Practice (2009). Colleges may also have Codes of Practice to which I must comply. References Gravells, A. (2008) Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector 3rd ed. Exeter: Learning Matters. Francis and Gould (2009) ‘Achieving Your PTLLS Award – A Practical Guide’. London. Sage Publications Limited. Department for Children, Schools and Families (2004) ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’ [online] UK: Available from http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2004). ‘Children Act 2004’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/pdf/ukpga_20040031_en.pdf [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1999). ‘Protection of Children Act 1999’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/pdf/ukpga_19990014_en.pdf [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1988) ‘The Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1988/ukpga_19880048_en_1.htm [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1998) ‘The Data Protection Act 1998’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980029_en_1 [Accessed 4 February 2010] Petty, G (2009) Teaching Today 4th ed. Cheltenham. Nelson Thornes Office of Public Sector Information (1975) ‘Sex Discrimination Act 1975’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2000) ‘Race Relations Act 1976 (amended 2000)’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1998) ‘Human Rights Act 1998’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2004) ‘Equal Opportunities Act 2004’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘DDA – Disability & Discrimination Act 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘DDA Part 4 Code of Practice 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (2001) ‘SENDA – Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1974) ‘Health & Safety at Work Act 1974’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1995) ‘Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1999) ‘Management of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1999’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (1992) ‘The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992’. Available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advanced-search/index [Accessed 4 February 2010] Institute for Learning (2009) ‘Code of Professional Practice’. Available from http://www.ifl.ac.uk/professional-standards/code-of-professional-practice [Accessed 4 February 2010]

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Renewable Energy in the UAE Essay Sample

Renewable Energy in the UAE Essay Sample Renewable Energy in the UAE Essay Sample Renewable Energy in the UAE Essay Sample UAE has for various reasons resulted to actively seeking for alternatives to replace expensive and environmentally hazardous sources of energy. The country also seeks to diversify its energy sector as well as its economy through actively developing solar energy usage. It has developed solar-energy harnessing plants, which has made the consumption of this kind of energy grow significantly in frames of the total energy consumption. The country has been actively increasing the amount of solar power plants as well as improving the technology aimed at boosting efficiency and reducing costs in all runs. Thus, this sector has seen a lot of research work done on both the materials and technology used in power generation. When the systems for tapping and storing solar energy are competitive with conventional sources, the country will be in a better position to increase the scale of energy generation and effectively replace petroleum: it will introduce an era of clean non exhaustible energy wi th very low maintenance cost. The term renewable energy has been commonly used to describe the alternative source of energy from what is considered mainstream; petroleum and coal (Alnaser Alnaser, 2011). However, the term also means a wide array of energy sources that cannot be exhausted, which means that the sources are always renewed or replenished through the Earths’ natural cycles. An example of these energy sources includes solar energy, wind geothermal energy and biomass. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with ‘green energy’ or ‘clean energy,’ which refers to energy sources that produce no emissions or pollutants in their generation and use (Rauland Newman, 2015). Renewable energy is or can be used to replace petroleum fuels in several areas that may include the generation of electricity, heating, to drive various machines, as motor fuels, or to power localized of-the-grid homes in the rural areas. This paper will look into the various types of renewable energy in use in the UAE. This paper will discuss reasons behind UAE’s high demand for energy as well as renewable energy projects being undertaken. Moreover, specific renewable energy developments, for instance, the Masdar city besides the Shams 1 scheme will be discoursed including steps taken by the UAE government to successfully and competently utilize additional renewable energy in all runs. Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century- (REN 21) concluded that the renewable sources of energy constituted approximately 19% of the total energy used globally in 2014. Biomass was the most used accounting for 9%, thermal energy at 4.2%, and hydroelectricity at 3.8%. In 2012 and 2013, renewables had been used to generate 22% of the electricity consumed globally. In the year 2013, global investment in the technologies aimed at exploitation of renewable sources of energy amounted to US 214 Billion (Young, (2014). The leading countries were China and the US while the technologies that were heavily invested into included wind, solar, hydro and biofuels. The UAE The United Arab Emirates or simply ‘the Emirates’ is a country in the Arabian Headland, sharing boarders with Saudi Arabia and Oman. It shares maritime boarders with Qatar and Iran around the Persian Gulf. Several aspects make this nation have an extraordinarily high demand for energy, which may include a high population composed majorly of foreign emigrants (over 80%). The locals make a small percentage of the total population and made up about 1.4 million in 2014. The country is a confederation of seven states (Emirates), each administered by a sovereign ruler: these rulers select one of them to rule the whole country, which has Arabic as the official language and Islam as the official religion. In spite of the small size, UAE has one of the biggest per capita quantities of oil reserves in the world. Its oil reserves rank 7th in the world: the country also has 17th largest natural gas reserve in the world. After this state was founded in 1971, a large percentage of proceeds obtained from its petroleum and natural gas resources were channeled into the betterment of education, healthcare, as well as the development of highly advanced modern infrastructure (Alnaser Alnaser, 2011). It has led to the rapid industrialization and development, which made this country’s economy the most diversified in the region. Over the same period of time, the most populous city in the country, Dubai emerged as an international commercial and transport hub. The high population density, high level of industrialization and economic diversification, as well as its use as a regional business hub makes UAE have a high rate of energy consumption. Additionally, the country experiences hot summers, when all the households and offices use electricity for air conditioning. This situation significantly increases electricity consumption to an extent of making the relevant government authorities consider correcti ve measures. Summer months’ electric consumption causes a major strain to the supply grid (Alnaser Alnaser, 2011). The peak hours for air conditioning are usually between 12 noon and 6 PM in the evening. Additionally, the country lacks adequate fresh water resource for domestic and industrial consumption. As a result, a large amount of energy is consumed in the desalinization of sea water for domestic and industrial consumption. Due to large sea water desalinization plants, as well as widespread air-conditioning in the summer months, this country has the largest per capita carbon foot print. Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of carbon gasses that are produced during the production process. What may even encourage a larger carbon foot print is that petroleum-generated electricity is usually subsidized by the government before being sold to consumers at a price even less than per unit cost of its generation (International Renewable Energy Agency, 2013). Various researchers and scholars have researched and compiled materials concerning the use of renewable sources of energy in the UAE. Some of these materials focus on areas such as the generation, the use or even future plans concerning the use of renewable energy. This section focuses on such materials. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) among other parallel authorities in the seven emirates have come up with means of ensuring that the peak hour demand for electricity does not lead to damages in the grid or unnecessary costs. Measures such as avoiding wastage of grid electricity as well as using most appliances in the off-peak hours have been seen to be helpful in the short run but are ineffective and unsustainable in the medium and long run (Kumetat, 2015). Additionally, the government and other agencies have recognized the great need to use this country’s oil reserve in a sustainable way and preserve it for the future generations. The government and other agencies are attempting to shift to green and renewable energy for environmental and health benefits in all respect. For this reason, various projects, action plans and long-term investment proposals are being done to tap into the green energy for electricity generation including other domestic and industrial uses for benefits discussed earlier. Owing to the geographical locality of the country, it receives a noteworthy quantity of solar radiation, which can be utilized to produce electricity, either through photovoltaic cells (PV) or through heating (CSP) (Kumetat, 2015). Renewable energy is being considered by the UAE in spite of oil reserves it possesses. According to the Masdar Institute (UAE), IRENA and the Directorate of energy and climatic change in the Ministry of foreign affairs, raising renewable energy to 10% the totals consumption could save the country a total of $1.9billion by the year 2030. It was also established that avoiding the consumption of fossil fuel would significantly lower the overall cost of energy. Factoring in health benefits that would accrue from the use of renewable energy and reduction in the environmental pollution, renewable energy could help the country save between $1 and 3.7 billion by 2030. Since the year 2010, the cost of natural gas has been increasing, while that of PV solar panels for converting solar energy into electricity has been declining universally as a result of the improvement in know-how used in manufacturing those (Young, 2014). Additionally, the theoretical and the practical efficiencies of photovoltaic cells and panels have been on the rise. All these factors have made solar energy competitive relative to oil. Despite UAE’s large natural gas reserves, it is important to note that the country is a net importer of the same as the internal output is not able to meet the internal demand. The government through various agencies is also evaluating other renewable sources of energy such as wind while encouraging the adoption of the conversion of waste to energy. In 2014, the cost of natural gas rose to $ 8/mBtu (million British thermal units) creating a need for faster shift to renewable energy (Kumetat, 2015). According to Kumetat (2015), the average cost of natural gas may rise twofold by 2020. Considering that the UAE imports natural gas, it has taken bold steps to decrease its dependence on the same. Furthermore, UAE desires to extensively use green energy in order to expand its economy, free additional petroleum for exports as well as to reduce the rates of the environmental degradation. In order to achieve a sustainable consumption of renewable energy sources, various options in terms of the forms of renewable energy sources have been considered. The UAE has a high yearly radiation making the exploitation of solar energy reasonable and economical. Large, open fields can be mounted with photovoltaic solar panels to transform solar energy into electric energy. Additionally, sunshine can be used for direct heating. With this knowledge, the country has been rigorously promoting the generation of the solar power since early 2008. Abu Dhabi and Dubai were among the first to embrace the use of solar power, each set its own targets for future production and consumption. Abu Dhabi has set its target to have 7% of its energy consumption as solar generated by 2020 (Kumetat, 2015). Dubai, on the other hand, is aiming at 5% clean energy as a percentage of the total consumption by 2030. As a result of these visions, Abu Dhabi has launched many massive projects to harness solar power. Both photovoltaic (PV) as well as Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) are in various stages of installation. On the other hand, Dubai has in the recent past focused majorly on PV system for generating electricity. Types of Renewable Energy The growth in the use of renewable sources of energy was rather slow before 2008, in which the entire country generated only 1% of its entire energy production from solar energy. By 2014, it was estimated that the UAE held half the facilities for harnessing solar energy in the GCC combined with the Levant (Caprotti, 2015). The Masdar City This is a city project in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the UAE. The city is under construction and is aimed at being a global model for a carbon neutral city. When completed, the city is planned to save 45% of water and 59% compared to the amount a similar sized conventional city would consume (Caprotti, 2015). Despite this city being energy and resource efficient, it will be powered majorly by renewable sources of energy. Additionally, the term carbon neutral means that it will not emit more carbon than a unit area of undeveloped space. The major sources of energy for this city will be solar power, and large areas of open fields will be installed with photovoltaic solar panels. In addition, the design of each individual structure will be such that it will need the minimum possible artificial lighting and air conditioning. Furthermore, model structures that can produce more energy than it can consume will also be integrated. The city will house a maximum of 50,000 people in addition t o 15,000 businesses (Caprotti, 2015). The core of this city is being built by the Masdar Company, which is a part of the larger Mubadala Development Company. The Abu Dhabi government has been the chief stockholder in the provision of the initial capital required. The designer of this city will be the Britishbased fosters and partners architectural firm. The city is being developed approximately 17 km in the south east of Abu Dhabi, standing adjacent to the Abu Dhabi International Airport. The city project was commissioned in 2006 with an estimated implementation period of about 8 years. The total cost was estimated at between $ 18 and 22 billion: the initial part was slated for completion before 2009. It was, however, delayed due to the effects of global financial crisis; some of the structures in phase one were not habitable by 2009 (Caprotti, 2015). With time, the total cost of the development of this city has declined by 10-15% while several variations have been made in instances where theoretical design could not be applied successfully. IRENA will have its headquarters in this city so as to demonstrate to the world the importance of green tech in the construction of modern cities (International Renewable Energy Agency, 2013). Masdar city will be a national as well a worldwide epicenter for clean tech corporations. The Masdar institute of technology was the first institution to book space in this city and become its first tenant. This institution of higher learning and research has been operating in the proposed city in various areas since late 2010, when it occupied its campus. The most striking feature of this city is that it has been developed to exclusively use renewable energy resources. Additionally, it is fitted with a system to enable the maximum possible conservation of energy. PV solar panels are used to generate the electric energy required to run this city. A total of 87,777 PV solar panels that occupy an area of approximately 22- hectare are used. Additional PV panels are installed on roofs of some structures. Another essential component of these structures is that they lack power switches and water taps. It has been done to eliminate instances where lights and water taps and appliances may be left on unnecessarily. Lighting and water points are controlled by a series of motion sensors, which has reduced water consumption to 55% and electricity to 51%. The initial plan provided for the installation of all the solar panels on the rooftops of various building. During the development phase, it was discovered that it would be much more efficient to build solar fields on the open fields in the desert. It would make it easy to brush the dirt off their surface than having cleaners climb on every roof top to clean them. Additionally, the flat open field ensures uniformity in the power generation in addition to the fact that desert has more insolation per unit area than the location of the city. In addition to PV panels, CSP plants are being tested to find out if they can effectively be used to tap the heat energy from sunshine. If this is successfully established, the amount of electricity used for heating could be saved or reduced, which would ultimately reduce the costs. In addition to the use of renewable energy sources, comprehensive water management practices are also incorporated to reduce wastage. Mechanisms are also put in place to ensure that about 80% of the water used is recycled. It includes reusing waste water whenever applicable and utilizing grey water to irrigate crops. Apart from the projects initiated and implemented by Masdar, there are several other projects across the UAE that will exclusively use solar power. For instance, in June 2015, the roads and transport authority in the UAE announced the planned commencement of the construction of 400 bus stops in Dubai. A large percentage of the new ones constructed in areas that have been off the grid will have air conditioning systems that will be powered using solar energy. This project does not only make Dubai the first city in the world to have air conditioned bus stops but also the first one to have solar operated ones. This announcement came a year after trial projects had been done in 2014 in Al Jafliya. Even if the test projects did not provide adequate power for air conditioning systems, it provided crucial information of the possibilities of successfully applying the same in the future. The tests indicated that solar power was adequate for powering lights and advertisement, but the materials used as well as structures’ shapes could not be effectively air conditioned by a solar powered system. However, more trials indicated that with the use of crescent-shaped shelters made of improved materials and heat, dust and humidity resistant paints, a number of them would support a solar powered air conditioner. The Shams 1 Shams 1 is a project that was undertaken to harness the heat energy from the sun and use it for the purpose of generating electricity. The plant is located in Abu Dhabi and is made up of a CSP plant. The plant was completed and became operational by 17th march, 2013. Shams 1 is one of the largest CSP plants in the world. The system is made up of parabolic mirrors set on both sides of a dark pipe made of a special heat absorptive material containing oil. The parabolic glasses are used to concentrate heat from sunshine onto the pipes carrying oil hence heating it. The heated oil in turn heats water which evaporates into steam which turns turbines. The mechanical energy in this turbine is converted into electricity. Since the heat obtained from the oil is not sufficient to rapidly evaporate water, a special heater that burns natural gas ‘a natural gas booster’ is used to compensate the heat difference by heating the water to the temperatures close to 400 degrees Celsius. In the Shams 1 power plant, the parabolic mirror holders are set on an intelligent system that is able to track the movement of the sun. Close to 80% of the heat used comes from the CSP units and is converted into approximately 55% of the total electricity generated. On the other hand, 20% of the heat is obtained from combustion of natural gas and accounts for approximately 45% of the total electric energy produced. From these statistics, it is crucial to note how the heat from the sunshine is greatly used to increase the systems efficiency in the use of natural gas in the production of electricity, making it possible to generate 45% of electricity from only 20% of heat from natural gas. It saves the cost of the 80% of the heat obtained from the CSP unit and is very crucial for reducing emissions (Rauland Newman, 2015). The Shams 1 management does not disclose the cost of generating one unit of power for some reason, which may include the fact that it is in power purchase contract with the management of the power grid. According to CSP professionals, an average price of a CSP system is presently between 20 and 25 cents / kWh. During the design and the developmental phase of this project, the total annual output had been estimated at slightly less than 200GWh. However, the first year of operation saw the plant produce slightly in access of 210GWh. Experts report that this is equivalent to the amount consumed by roughly 20000 homes in the UAE or  ½% of the total electricity demand in the country. The size of this CSP unit makes it cover an area of approximately 2.5 square kilometers while the total length of the parabolic trough is approximately 120 km. The large surface area seen above is very crucial for absorbing the maximum amount of heat from the sun shine. For this reason, the whole project is an environmental conservation success as it greatly reduces carbon emission. In one year, Shams 1 is capable of reducing carbon dioxide emission by about 175,000 tones, an amount that is produced by 1500cars over the same period of time. It is also the amount that can be absorbed by 1.5 million trees in one year. Shamss1 had a nominal maximum capacity of 100MW. However, the plant was seen to produce up to 125MW at one instance. Fluctuation in the amount of heat harnessed from the sunshine is observed in several instances. For example, at night, during cloudy days or in the winter, the amount of the heating obtained from the use of natural gas is increased to compensate for the deficit. The management of Shamss 1 plant only allows the use of natural gas up to 600, 000 btu (British thermal units). The operating staff is usually mandated to determine the amount of natural gas to add in order to compensate for the shortfall in the heat collected by the CSP unit. It has been observed that PV cells are much cheaper than CSP in terms of having a shorter process of generating electricity and also having fewer components. However, CSP has several advantages over the PV systems. CSP units store heat making the generation of electricity stable, even despite sharp fluctuations that may occur in the amount of sunshine received. Additionally, the system is more durable as the storage tanks for hot water can last close to 30 years, which is very long compared to short battery lives for PV systems. As discussed earlier, CSP are able to cater for sharp fluctuations in the sunshine received, making electric generation more regular as compared to PV units. CSP is also very easy to combine with conventional heat power plants and has been used in many instances to upgrade those (Rauland Newman, 2015). Shams 1 project has been very vital and will immensely contribute towards assisting Abu Dhabi to achieve 7% of renewable energy by 2020 (Rauland Newman, 2015). Additionally, it will help the whole country to reduce carbon emissions, diversify its energy sources, as well as the entire economy. It is important to note that Shams1 is run partly by Masdar. Therefore, its existence offers a great learning experience to Masdar, which is continuously looking for ways to improve the project. It offers a great opportunity for the researchers at Masdar to experiment with an aim of improving both the technology as well as the materials used in this plant to boost efficiency, durability and sustainability. How the UAE is Approaching Renewable Energy for the Future The UAE is aiming at reducing its dependence on petroleum and natural gas for generation of electricity. The primary aim of this is to free more petroleum for export, save money used to import natural gas and avoid the degradation of the nation’s natural environment. The country had an integrated long-term plan to ensure that it derived 24 % of its power from clean sources by 2030. Later on, the government plans to accelerate this plan to achieve this by 2021. Apart from the large-scale projects carried out by Masdar, including the carbon neutral city and the mega CSP Shams 1, the country has more plans to increase generation of electricity from solar energy (Sayigh, 2013). In April 2015, the government announced its plans to add an additional 100MV of electricity by installing additional PV solar panels. The FEWA (federal Electricity and Water Authority) has set up plans to initiate large-scale projects in the expansive north of the UAE. The government is also on course to in itiate several projects to generate 24% of its entire energy demand by 2021 as seen earlier. Some of the projects underway include the development of nuclear power plants. Most of these projects are meant to benefit the five remaining emirates that have not been involved in the massive projects of Masdar city and Shams 1. Emirates such as Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Umma AL Quiwain as well as Fujairah are the ones serviced by FEWA while Dubai and Abu Dhabi have their own parallel services (Kumetat, 2015). FEWA is set to collaborate with private corporations in the inception, design and development of these projects. Tenders as well as areas of co-operations are set to be awarded via a competitive tendering process. Such an approach is set to be adopted as it is very effective in ensuring that the cost is kept the lowest while maintaining the highest attainable standards. One of such tenders awarded recently include a 200MW project awarded to ACWA Corporation from Saudi Arabia to construct a PV solar field in Dubai. It achieved the lowest flat-rate tariff (5.84 ¢/kWh) in the history (Kumetat, 2015). The project is in design phase, and the company is already securing funds through low interest bank loans in readiness for the commissioning in 2017. Upon completion, it will be the largest of its kind in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Masdar Company is already in a design stage for the first phases of the first geothermal project ever to be implemented in the UAE (Kumetat, 2 015). In addition to FEWA’s projects, Masdar and Shams 1, other plans are also underway aimed at increasing renewable power generation all across the UAE. On 15th April, 2015, Dubai announced to roll out a mega project at a cost of $3 billion aimed at boosting power generation capability to 3GW. (Kumetat, 2015) DEWA’s managing director Sayeed Tayer announced that the above plans were aimed at boosting the generation capacity of the proposed largest solar park in Dubai: Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The initial capacity of this park was planned to be 1GW upon completion in 2019 as the installation begun back in 2013. The initial authorizing of the first block of PV solar panels with a total capacity of 13 MW was also done in 2013 (Sayigh, 2013). However, DEWA has planned to upgrade the plant during and after the installation such that its capacity will triple (to 3 GW) by 2030. It shows how seriously the country is taking the harnessing and the use of renewable energy from solar power. Apart from the massive expansion of the physical capacity through the installation of larger and more powerful PV panels, the UAE is taking another very futuristic approach to the generation and storage of renewable energy. The government through its agencies is carrying out and sponsoring research to come up with futuristic ways of generating and storing energy. The Masdar institute, among others is continuously carrying out research on how to improve the generation capacities of various PV solar parks, Shams 1 CSP plant among others. Its research also includes the development of materials that are more absorptive of the solar energy. One of the ground-breaking research currently being done by this institute in conjunction with Norwegian company aims at making the storage of electricity produced by CSP solar parks more efficient. The Nest (New Energy Storage Technology) could reduce the cost of solar power by 70% in five years (Rauland Newman, 2015). The research aims at storing he at energy using special concrete material to store heat collected through CSP instead of the conventional method that is usually expensive. Another issue that has been seen to reduce the efficiency of sunshine absorption either in PV solar or CSP units is accumulation of dust. Dust or sand covers the surface needed for heat absorption: it increases costs as regular dusting and washing is required. Masdar is working to engineer transparent materials that have pore-sizes smaller than sand particle to protect the units’ surfaces. Additionally, parallel research and trials are currently underway aimed at coming up with a material that repels sand or dust particles. Materials are also being developed that have the ability to inhibit bacterial and other microbial activities that occur when dust and sand particles settle on PV or CSP units. All these are aimed at increasing the efficiency of these systems in order to generate more power, reduce cost and make the systems more sustainable (Rauland Newman, 2015). Steps described above show a country that is earnestly trying to diversify its energy mix. The diversification is aimed at attaining sustainability in all runs. With all these systems in place, the UAE seems to be ready to embrace renewable energy in the future. Research done and sponsored by various organizations may usher in an era in which renewable energy will be adequately competitive to effectively replace non renewable energy sources. Additionally, the Masdar carbon neutral city, being the first in the world, will serve as a model and an indicator of a time in the future where many other cities will be carbon neutral, therefore reducing global warming and reversing the effects of climatic change. When the systems for tapping and storing solar energy are competitive enough relative to conventional sources, the country will be in a better position to simply increase the scale of generation and effectively replace petroleum: it will usher in an era of clean non exhaustible energy with very low maintenance cost.