EERC signs agreement with United Arab Emirates The Energy & Environmental Research Center and the EERC Foundation have signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Eastern Group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to jointly pursue business opportunities in the Middle East. UAE is one of the most prosperous countries in the Middle East, located between Saudi Arabia and Oman on the Persian Gulf. “The Middle East has very specific issues with which the EERC has expertise, such as energy production, pollution control, and water supply and reclamation,” said EERC Associate Director for Research John Harju. “This relationship will help further quantify a number of potential projects focused on energy and environmental topics in the UAE.” “We are extremely excited about this outstanding opportunity,” said EERC Director Gerald Groenewold. “The United Eastern Group scanned the world for the best in energy and environmental research and determined that the EERC best fits their needs.” Once initial research projects are established, the ultimate goal is to create a complimentary facility to the EERC in the UAE. In partnership with the United Eastern Group, the EERC and the EERC Foundation will develop, operate, and transfer their unique market-driven business model and provide the technical expertise to the new UAE Energy & Environmental Innovation Centers. The centers will research, develop, demonstrate, and commercialize sustainable energy, environmental, and water technologies. “The United Eastern Group’s request for us to replicate the EERC in the UAE is a major compliment,” said Groenewold. “They also have considerable investment capital available, which could greatly facilitate commercialization of EERC technologies throughout the world,” he said. “Because of the entrepreneurial, market-driven culture of the proposed UAE Innovation Centers, their long-term impact on the regional economy will be substantial,” said Carsten Heide, Deputy Associate Director for Intellectual Property Management and Technology Commercialization. “This opportunity will foster the creation of many new businesses in the UAE as well as in the United States that are based on the technology and expertise developed through joint projects,” he said. The Innovation Centers will also provide UAE’s young professionals with environmentally friendly, high-tech jobs that pay well. It will provide an excellent opportunity for students at UAE University, the leading teaching and research institution in the country, for hands-on experience in their chosen field. The EERC’s John Harju and Carsten Heide will travel to Abu Dhabi, UAE’s capital city, June 16–22 to meet with officials from the United Eastern Group for the official memorandum of understanding signing ceremony and to discuss plans for the first research endeavor. Since 1976, the United Eastern Group has remained one of the leading companies in the UAE, bringing many new technologies into the region as well as providing numerous leading global companies a competitive edge to build a strong business base in the Middle East. -- Energy and Environmental Research Center.