Abu Dhabi is turning to the UK to bring its extraordinary Masdar City – the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste, car-free city – to life.

A Masdar team last month discussed business opportunities with 108 companies at a partnership seminar in London, hosted by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).
Masdar City is to be finished by 2016 and will eventually be home to 50,000 residents, 1,500 businesses, particularly those in the sustainable and alternative energies field. A number of UK companies are already involved including BP, Shell, Rolls Royce, WSP Group, Imperial College and Forster and Partners, who designed the concept.
During the UK Government’s visit to the Gulf last month Prime Minister Gordon Brown, secretary of state for energy and climate change Ed Miliband and secretary of state for business Peter Mandelson were briefed on the initiative and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Masdar CEO Dr Sultan Al Jaber.
The MoU provides a framework to leverage each other’s expertise to help accelerate the adoption of technologies to make renewable energy affordable to the global community.
At the seminar, minister for trade and investment Gareth Thomas said: “With 17,000 companies making up the UK’s environmental industries sector, it is not just large companies that have a part to play in the Masdar City story.
“The SMEs in our diverse environmental technologies sector also have a global reputation for world-leading capabilities and outstanding solutions and services. For businesses, small and large, that make the leap and take early action to embrace low carbon solutions, the opportunities are huge.”
During the visit, the Masdar team met with UK companies specialising in energy generation,  energy infrastructure, energy storage, water technologies, waste management, transportation, green construction, biodiversity and social and policy issues.