Latest news with #sustainableCooling


Zawya
07-07-2025
- Science
- Zawya
SQU study maps Oman's coastal potential for ocean cooling
MUSCAT: A team of scientists at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has completed a significant study that paves the way for identifying suitable coastal locations in Oman for sustainable cooling solutions powered by deep ocean water. These findings are set to inform strategic investments in infrastructure, industry, and digital technology along the Sultanate's extensive coastline. The research, titled 'Selection of Sustainable Cooling Sites Using Ocean Water through Integrated Probabilistic Learning and Multi-Objective Optimization,' was recently published in a peer-reviewed international journal. The study presents an innovative, data-driven framework for selecting optimal sites along Oman's coast where cold deep seawater can be harnessed to cool industrial facilities and buildings. By integrating satellite-based remote sensing, AI-powered prediction models, and advanced optimisation tools, the research forecasts current and future subsurface ocean temperatures while also assessing uncertainty. The model evaluates key parameters such as seawater temperature, depth of extraction, distance from population centers, and data reliability to guide efficient and cost-effective site selection. 'What makes this study unique is its exclusive focus on Oman—offering practical, location-specific insights into where seawater cooling systems can be deployed to reduce energy use and operating costs,' explained Dr Saleh al Saadi, Director of the Sustainable Energy Research Centre (SERC) at SQU. 'As one of the authors, I am proud to see a vision take shape—one that began over a decade ago to harness the potential of Oman's oceans. This work reconnects our seafaring heritage with modern sustainable energy applications. It lays the groundwork for future solutions rooted in our natural resources,' he added. Also contributing to the study were Dr. Mohammad Reza Nikoo and Dr Ghazi Ali al Rawas from the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering at SQU's College of Engineering, along with Research Assistant Mehdi Karani. The implications of the study are wide-ranging. Oman's strategic location on the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean—offering proximity to deep, cold, nutrient-rich waters—has attracted interest from international investors exploring deep seawater cooling for various applications. These include heavy industries, petrochemical plants, RO-based desalination, and increasingly, hyperscale data centers that demand efficient, 24/7 cooling. In parallel, aquaculture, algae cultivation, and climate-controlled greenhouse farming are emerging as promising avenues where deep ocean water can play a transformative role. Coastal farming of high-value crops like leafy greens and strawberries, for instance, can benefit from cooler growing environments even in peak summer months. Significantly, the study strengthens Oman's ambitions to become a regional hub for data infrastructure, with deep ocean water cooling—combined with solar and wind energy—offering a low-carbon, cost-efficient solution for global tech firms setting up hyperscale data centers in the Sultanate of Oman.


Arabian Business
30-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Tabreed and CVC DIF partner to acquire PAL Cooling for $1 billion
Abu Dhabi's Tabreed, the world's leading district cooling company, and CVC DIF, the infrastructure strategy of private markets manager CVC, are partnering to acquire PAL Cooling Holding from Abu Multiply Group for AED 3.8 billion (approximately US$1 billion). PAL Cooling has three long-term concessions in Abu Dhabi's main island area and five on Al Reem Island. These concessions are serviced by five existing district cooling plants and associated networks with connected capacity of 182,000 refrigeration tons (RT) as of December 2024. The company has an additional plant under construction and three more are in the planning phase. Together, the nine plants and eight concessions are expected to represent approximately 600,000 RT. The acquisition is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Dr Bakheet Al Katheeri, Chairman of Tabreed, commented: 'Tabreed is always looking to the future and ensuring we remain agile. The acquisition of PAL Cooling with CVC DIF aligns perfectly with our strategic objectives and readiness to adapt to Abu Dhabi's ambitious real estate projects. 'This year has been historic for Tabreed, with ventures like our Palm Jebel Ali JV and continued growth in Abu Dhabi. These steps position us to meet the UAE's rising demand for sustainable cooling, driven by population growth and decarbonisation targets.' Khalid Al Marzooqi, Chief Executive Officer of Tabreed, added: 'This is turning out to be a truly pivotal year for Tabreed. As we enter a new phase of growth in Abu Dhabi alongside partners, CVC DIF, the benefits brought by this acquisition will be substantial. 'The acquisition serves to strengthen our already investment-grade status with safe, long-term concession agreements and assured future growth, evidenced by current and planned developments on Reem Island.' Founded in 2006, PAL's long-term concession agreements include partnerships with master developers like Aldar Properties, Modon and Imkan. It is strategically positioned on Al Reem Island, which is now fully part of the ADGM free zone, and is poised to benefit from the expected development ramp-up, with future network expansion already licensed by Abu Dhabi's Department of Energy. Samia Bouazza, Group CEO and Managing Director of Multiply Group, said: 'The monetisation of PAL Cooling Holding is a deliberate step in our portfolio optimisation strategy, aimed at delivering superior returns to our shareholders. It reflects our ability to realise significant value from our assets while enhancing liquidity to fuel Multiply Group's next phase of growth.' CVC DIF's investment focus and experience spans key sectors including Energy Transition, Digital Infrastructure, Utilities and Transport – areas that are critical to Tabreed's strategic vision. Its expertise and investment approach makes CVC DIF an ideal partner for a transformative project of this scale. Gijs Voskuyl, Managing Partner at CVC DIF, said: 'PAL Cooling services its clients under long-term, concession-based contracts in a fast-growing urban environment. The company has a strong track record of developing and constructing high-quality and electrified district cooling plants to deliver reliable, energy-efficient cooling solutions. 'Building on CVC DIF's long-term track record in the sector, we are delighted to partner with Tabreed, a leading district cooling company in the Middle East. Together, we are convinced that PAL Cooling is a high-quality investment that will provide our investors with solid returns, while offering the potential for long-term growth and sustainable value creation.'


Gulf Business
30-06-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Tabreed, CVC DIF to acquire PAL Cooling from Multiply Group in Dhs3.8bn deal
Image: Tabreed/ X UAE-based district cooling company Tabreed and global investment firm CVC's infrastructure strategy (CVC DIF) have agreed to acquire Abu Dhabi's PAL Cooling Holding from Multiply Group in a deal valued at approximately Dhs3.8bn, the companies said in a joint statement. The acquisition includes eight long-term concessions serviced by five district cooling plants in Abu Dhabi, with an expected connected load of around 600,000 refrigeration tons once ongoing and planned plants are completed. The deal remains subject to regulatory approvals. Founded in 2006, PAL Cooling is a key player in the UAE's district cooling sector, working with major developers such as Aldar Properties, Modon and Imkan. Its assets are concentrated in strategic areas like Al Reem Island, now part of the ADGM free zone. 'The acquisition of PAL Cooling with CVC DIF aligns perfectly with our strategic objectives and readiness to adapt to Abu Dhabi's ambitious real estate projects,' said Dr Bakheet Al Katheeri, chairman of Tabreed. 'These steps position us to meet the UAE's rising demand for sustainable cooling, driven by population growth and decarbonisation targets.' CVC DIF managing partner Gijs Voskuyl called the acquisition a 'high-quality investment' with the potential to deliver long-term growth and returns. 'PAL Cooling services its clients under long-term, concession-based contracts, in a fast-growing urban environment,' he added. Image: Supplied Pivotal acquisition for Tabreed's portfolio Tabreed CEO Khalid Al Marzooqi described the acquisition as pivotal: 'As part of Tabreed's Özgür Önder, head of CVC Middle East, said the partnership with Tabreed reflects CVC's commitment to investing in sustainable, mission-critical infrastructure across the UAE. Multiply Group CEO Samia Bouazza said the transaction supports its strategy of portfolio optimisation and liquidity enhancement. 'It reflects our ability to realise significant value from our assets while enhancing liquidity to fuel Multiply Group's next phase of growth,' she said. The agreement was signed during a ceremony in Abu Dhabi by executives from


Japan Times
13-05-2025
- General
- Japan Times
As world heats up, U.N. cools itself the cool way: with water
Deep in the bowels of the U.N. headquarters, a pump sucks in huge amounts of water from the East River to help cool the complex with an old but energy-efficient mechanism. As more and more people want to stay cool in a planet that is steadily heating up, energy experts point to this kind of water-based system as a good alternative to air conditioning. But in many cases they are hard to set up. The system has been part of the New York complex since it opened in the 1950s, chief building engineer Michael Martini said during a tour of the cooling equipment. The system, overhauled with the rest of the complex from 2008 to 2014, cools the U.N. center using less energy than a conventional air conditioning system. U.N. policy is to bring the air temperature down to about 24 degrees Celsius, or 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In summer in New York, the river running beside the U.N. headquarters — it is actually a salt water estuary — stays much cooler than the surrounding air, which can reach 100 degrees. So cooling the building eats up less energy. As many as 26,000 liters per minute (7,000 gallons) of water flow through fiber glass pipes to the complex's cooling plant, which uses it and a refrigerant gas to produce cold. The system has two independent loops to prevent contamination of the water that flows back into the river at a higher temperature, said the head of the cooling system, David Lindsay. A boat on the East River passes United Nations Headquarters in New York. | AFP-Jiji Looking at the gleaming glass tower of the U.N. headquarters and the dome of the General Assembly, you would never know that the East River serves this purpose for the U.N. and is more than just part of the scenery. The U.N.'s New York headquarters is not its only building that depends on water. In Geneva, its Palais de Nations features a cooling system that uses water from Lake Geneva. And the U.N. City complex in Copenhagen, which houses 10 U.N. agencies, depends on cold seawater that almost eliminates the need for electricity to cool the place. This a huge benefit compared to the estimated 2 billion air conditioning units installed around a world. With the number of air conditioners due to increase so as to help people who are more and more exposed to dangerous temperatures, energy consumption for the purpose of cooling has already tripled since 1990, says the International Energy Agency, which wants more efficient systems. Examples of these are centralized air conditioning networks using electricity, geothermal systems or ones that use water, like the U.N. complex in New York. This latter system "has not been deployed as much as it should be for the issues we face today," said Lily Riahi, coordinator of Cool Coalition, a grouping of states, cities and companies under the aegis of the United Nations. Water supply pipes are seen at the Chiller Plant at United Nations Headquarters in New York. | AFP-Jiji Some big organizations have been able to run such systems on their own, like the United Nations or Cornell University in New York State, which relies on water from Lake Cayuga. But for the most part these systems require a lot of coordination among multiple stakeholders, said Riahi. "We know it's technically possible, and we know actually there are many cases that prove the economics as well," said Rob Thornton, president of the International District Energy Association, which helps develop district cooling and heating networks. "But it requires someone, some agent, whether it's a champion, a city, or a utility or someone, to actually undertake the aggregation of the market," he said. "The challenge is just gathering and aggregating the customers to the point where there's enough, where the risk can be managed," Thornton said. He cited Paris as an example, which uses the Seine River to run Europe's largest water-based cooling grid. These networks allow for the reduced use toxic substances as coolants, and lower the risk of leaks. And they avoid emissions of hot air — like air conditioning units spew — into cities already enduring heat waves. But hot water from cooling units, when dumped back into rivers and other bodies of water, is dangerous for aquatic ecosystems, environmentalists say. "This challenge is quite small, compared to the discharge from nuclear plants," said Riahi, adding the problem can be addressed by setting a temperate limit on this water.


Malay Mail
12-05-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
The East River keeps the UN HQ cool in New York — can this decades-old system help other cities too?
NEW YORK, May 12 — Deep in the bowels of the UN headquarters, a pump sucks in huge amounts of water from the East River to help cool the complex with an old but energy-efficient mechanism. As more and more people want to stay cool in a planet that is steadily heating up, energy experts point to this kind of water-based system as a good alternative to air conditioning. But in many cases they are hard to set up. The system has been part of the New York complex since it opened in the 1950s, chief building engineer Michael Martini told AFP during a tour of the cooling equipment. The system, overhauled with the rest of the complex from 2008 to 2014, cools the UN centre using less energy than a conventional air conditioning system. UN policy is to bring the air temperature down to about 24 degrees Celsius, or 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In summer in New York, the river running beside the UN headquarters — it is actually a salt water estuary — stays much cooler than the surrounding air, which can reach 100 degrees. So cooling the building eats up less energy. As many as 26,000 litres per minute (7,000 gallons) of water flow through fibre glass pipes to the complex's cooling plant, which uses it and a refrigerant gas to produce cold. The system has two independent loops to prevent contamination of the water that flows back into the river at a higher temperature, said the head of the cooling system, David Lindsay. Looking at the gleaming glass tower of the UN headquarters and the dome of the General Assembly, you would never know that the East River serves this purpose for the UN and is more than just part of the scenery. The UN's New York headquarters is not its only building that depends on water. In Geneva, its Palais de Nations features a cooling system that uses water from Lake Geneva. And the UN City complex in Copenhagen, which houses 10 UN agencies, depends on cold seawater that almost eliminates the need for electricity to cool the place. This a huge benefit compared to the estimated two billion air conditioning units installed around a world. Why so rare? With the number of air conditioners due to increase so as to help people who are more and more exposed to dangerous temperatures, energy consumption for the purpose of cooling has already tripled since 1990, says the International Energy Agency, which wants more efficient systems. Water supply pipes are seen at the Chiller Plant at United Nations Headquarters. — AFP pic Examples of these are centralised air conditioning networks using electricity, geothermal systems or ones that use water, like the UN complex in New York. This latter system 'has not been deployed as much as it should be for the issues we face today,' said Lily Riahi, coordinator of Cool Coalition, a grouping of states, cities and companies under the aegis of the United Nations. Some big organisations have been able to run such systems on their own, like the United Nations or Cornell University in New York State, which relies on water from Lake Cayuga. But for the most part these systems require a lot of coordination among multiple stakeholders, said Riahi. 'We know it's technically possible, and we know actually there are many cases that prove the economics as well,' said Rob Thornton, president of the International District Energy Association, which helps develop district cooling and heating networks. 'But it requires someone, some agent, whether it's a champion, a city, or a utility or someone, to actually undertake the aggregation of the market,' he said. 'The challenge is just gathering and aggregating the customers to the point where there's enough, where the risk can be managed,' Thornton said. He cited Paris as an example, which uses the Seine River to run Europe's largest water-based cooling grid. These networks allow for the reduced use toxic substances as coolants, and lower the risk of leaks. And they avoid emissions of hot air — like air conditioning units spew — into cities already enduring heat waves. But hot water from cooling units, when dumped back into rivers and other bodies of water, is dangerous for aquatic ecosystems, environmentalists say. 'This challenge is quite small, compared to the discharge from nuclear plants,' said Riahi, adding the problem can be addressed by setting a temperate limit on this water. — AFP