Oil Kingdom to Build World's First Zero-Carbon City

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Abu Dhabi, the richest city in the world with 100-billion barrels of oil in its reserves, is sprouting a 100,00-resident, zero-emissions metropolis in the middle of the desert.

That's on top of its $250 million investment fund in clean-tech companies and another billion-dollar fund in the works. Der Spiegel calls the investment trend a "delicious irony." Nice quip. But misses the big picture. How about delicious telepathy?

How else would you describe an oil kingdom worth gazillions sinking a ton of its wealth into helping to grow a new, clean energy economy -- an economy, mind you, that may, one day, give Big Oil a run for its money?

It's just smart planning, argues Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of the government-funded organization that is leading the initiative. After all, even Abu Dhabi's vast petroleum reserves will someday be used up. "What could be better for Abu Dhabi than investing our oil and gas revenues [in something] that will give us leadership in the future?" he asks.

Exactly.

The retro green city will:

  • Be powered almost exclusively by the sun.
  • Have wind towers that will act as natural air conditioning.
  • Have fountains strewn about to dampen the 120-degree desert heat.
  • House a research university specializing in renewables, with a curriculum designed by MIT.
  • Provide lots of new, high-quality jobs.

 

Like the United Arab Emirates, America has its own naturally occurring, home-grown energy monopoly that's set to run out of reserves in 100 years. The coal industry.

It too is abundantly rich, though it banks on a much dirtier fuel source. What is it doing with its flowing riches to safeguard its future -- and the planet's? Investing in...more coal! The liquid kind. The so-called "clean" kind. And the kind that keeps on fossil-fueling China's exploding economy...


I thnk so,it is very

I thnk so,it is very intresting!

Zero Carbon City

What an ingenious way to plan for the future. I also liked your suggestion on finding alternative ways to oil, since oil is only available for so much longer. Sun energy is free, so why not use it more often?

I'm sure the costs of creating these energy carriers like solar cells would easily be absorbed by saving the cost of oil, man power and more.

Monica

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