Construction Wastes Management in the UAE

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Out of total solid wastes generated in the UAE, the construction and demolition wastes or (C&D wastes) account for 70% of the total weight of solid wastes. Dubai alone produces nearly 5,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste every day, which is about 70% of the total solid waste generated every day. In Abu Dhabi, C&D wastes account for 71% of total wastes generated. It is expected that construction and development activities and associated C&D waste production will continue to rise in this region.

construction waste management

Hence, if not managed appropriately, it is expected that dumping of C&D waste will become uncontrolled. This will not only cause negative environmental impact on soil, water and air and the surrounding ecosystem but also result in depletion of finite resources. This also creates social and financial burden to the society and to the country.  Hence, the management of construction waste is an essential aspect of sustainable building development.

To reduce the environmental impacts and improve the socio cultural, economic performance of buildings, various sustainability rating systems and green building regulations are created in the UAE apart from the sustainability rating systems available globally.

These rating systems and regulation have a credit category generally called “materials and resources” credit category, which includes the requirements for construction and demolition waste management. The main intent of having these requirements is to facilitate the waste reduction during construction and to prevent the depletion of material resources and associated environmental impacts.

The common sustainability rating systems used in the UAE are LEED, Pearl Rating System for Estidama and EHS Trakhees in-house certification. Various local Green Building regulations are made to regulate the building design and construction activities in each administrative location or jurisdiction. The local green building regulations are mostly aligned to USGBC LEED v3 but are more specific to the region.

As a general requirement, for the purpose of credit compliance, excavated materials such as soil, sand, land clearing debris and hazardous wastes are exempted for calculation of the percentage of wastes diverted from disposal at landfill facilities. However, it is required to divert these substances to places designated by the concerned department of the local regulatory authorities.

Let us have a close look at various green building regulations and guidelines for minimizing C&D wastes generation.

1. LEED

The LEED rating system makes it mandatory for the project owner to develop and implement C&D waste management plan. Like other rating systems the main intent is to reduce the volume of C&D waste that is sent to landfills and incineration facilities by employing strategies such as reduce reuse, recovery and recycle of materials from the C&D waste stream.

Apart from mandatory requirements, up to 4 credit points can be earned for building and construction projects in building and material reuse optional credit category and awards up to 2 points in the C&D waste management category which uses reuse and recycle methods.

2. Dubai Municipality

Dubai Municipality doesn’t provide in-house certification for green buildings but enforces green building regulations by issuing building permits for projects within its jurisdiction.

As per Dubai Municipality regulations, it is a mandatory requirement for all new buildings except the buildings in the CBD area to divert at least 50% of wastes materials by volume (cubic meter) or by weight (kg/ tonne) from the total waste materials generated during construction and/ or demolition of buildings by using reuse and recycle strategies. Excavated soil, land clearing debris and hazardous waste materials are not taken into consideration for this requirement.

3. EHS Trakhees

EHS Trakhees green building department is the regulatory wing of Port, customs, Free zone Corporation (PCFC) jurisdiction. It enforces its green building regulations on all new construction projects of the jurisdiction. Projects seeking in-house certification can earn 1 point for diverting 50% of C&D waste materials from landfill disposal and 2 points for 75% of C&D waste diversion. These requirements can be achieved by using various strategies mentioned earlier.

In the building reuse credit category, EHS Trakhees awards up to 3 points for maintaining the existing building structure (including structural floor and roof decking) and envelop (the exterior skin and framing, excluding window assemblies and non-structural roof materials). In the material reuse credit category, 1 to 2 points can be earned by reusing salvaged building materials and products directly or after refurbishing those. These materials can be beams and posts, flooring, doors and frames, cabinetry and furniture, brick, and decorative items.

The project can earn 1 point for having 5% of salvaged, refurbished and reused materials based on the total cost of materials for the project. Similarly, 2 points can be earned for using 10% of those materials in the project.

4. Pearl Rating System for Estidama

This rating system is the sustainability initiative of Urban Planning Council (UPC) Abu Dhabi. It is a mandatory requirement under this rating system to divert a minimum of 30% of C&D wastes through recycling/ salvaging. There is no credit awarded for this but it encourages the reuse of existing building stock, reduce waste and associated environmental impacts by providing credit earning options for retaining percentage of building structural system.

construction-wastes

1 credit point can be earned for reusing 25% of building structural system by surface area and 2 credit points for reusing 50% of the total materials. In the material reuse category, 1 credit can be earned by demonstrating that the total materials cost of reused and salvaged materials represent 3% of the total material cost.

Conclusion

If appropriate sustainability rating system is used and the green building regulations are followed aptly and adhered, not only the volume of C&D wastes sent to landfills or incineration will be reduced significantly but also the demand for virgin resources construction materials will be reduced.

Eco-friendly Practices For Efficient Plumbing Systems

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When you tap into the faucet, do you ponder on the journey of water from the source to your sink? Probably not. However, people should be paying more attention to how water systems operate given how vital they are to their everyday lives. The good news is that there are efficient and eco-friendly practices that can help people manage these precious resources better.

efficient plumbing system

Importance of Efficient Plumbing Systems

No one likes water leaks or high utility bills; that’s why an efficient plumbing system is a paramount component of any modern home. Not only does it ensure adequate water supply for domestic use, but an efficient system also contributes to water conservation efforts significantly.

An efficient plumbing system reduces waste by minimizing leaks and uses less power pumping water around your home. While this may seem inconsequential, saving a few liters of water per day can add up to thousands of gallons over the year. Conservation also extends to energy usage; pumping less water requires less electricity, contributing towards a smaller carbon footprint.

Embracing eco-friendly practices in plumbing doesn’t just benefit households either – it’s advantageous on a broader scale too. Water treatment facilities can operate more efficiently when demand is mitigated. By decreasing overall consumption in your communities, you can allow these vital infrastructures to work at their best.

To learn more about organizations making a difference in eco-friendly endeavors, click here. Next up is making a smart choice with the materials and products you use in your plumbing system.

Green Plumbing Materials and Products

Thanks to advancements in technology and manufacturing, there are various green plumbing materials and products available today. Copper pipes, once ubiquitous in practically all homes, are slowly being phased out in favor of PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) pipes. PEX pipes neither corrode nor leach harmful substances, making them a safer and more eco-friendly option.

Other products go beyond materials. For instance, sensor-based faucets reduce water waste by shutting off when not in use – no need to worry about the faucet running unnecessarily. In addition, low-flow showerheads and toilets deliver sufficient water for cleaning and bathing while using significantly less water than their conventional counterparts.

Tankless water heaters are another excellent green product for your plumbing system. A tankless heater only heats up the required amount of water, conserving energy that would otherwise be wasted keeping a whole tank heated. They’re efficient, convenient, and provide an endless supply of hot water when you need it.

Water-Saving Appliances and Fixtures

Saving water doesn’t stop at the pipes; your choice of appliances and fixtures also plays a crucial role. EPA’s Energy Star program certifies energy-efficient appliances that save significant amounts of water and electricity throughout their lifespan.

Energy-efficient dishwashers, for example, use less than half the water of washing dishes by hand. Modern washing machines have also improved tremendously; models with efficiency ratings can save up to 20 gallons of water per load compared to older units.

When choosing fixtures such as toilets or faucets, look for those carrying WELS (Water Efficiency Labeling & Standards) ratings. The higher the rating or stars, the better its efficiency – lower water usage equates to significant savings on your utility bills over time.

eco-friendly commercial plumbing solutions

Effective Leak Detection and Repair

Water leakages are one of the primary causes of water wastage in homes. A minor leak might not seem like much, but a faucet dripping once every second can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water in a year.

Regular checks for leaks should be a part of your routine maintenance to ensure your plumbing system remains eco-efficient. This includes checking for dripping faucets, running toilets, and inspecting exposed pipes for any signs of leakage or moisture.

A professional plumber who specializes in leak detection can also help identify less obvious leaks within your walls or underground. Once detected, it’s essential to prioritize repairs to prevent further loss of water and potential damage to your property.

While this might seem like a daunting process, think about the potential water and money savings that could result from it – these repairs pay for themselves over time.

Energy-Efficient Water Heaters

A conventional water heater can represent a significant percentage of your utility bill. That’s why it’s worth considering switching to energy-efficient versions that can help you save both energy and money. These heaters range from solar ones, which generate heat from the sun’s radiation, to heat pump versions, using heat from the air or groundwater.

Solar systems are especially valuable during sunny seasons, as they can meet up to 100% of a household’s hot water needs. In turn, heat pump systems utilize the fact that compressing any gas increases its temperature – it’s a part of a thermodynamic cycle used in refrigerators as well. Professionals such as Dan’s Plumbing can advise on practical heating options.

Savings on your utility bills aren’t the only benefit of these devices – you’ll also be reducing the amount spent on maintenance since they typically have longer service lives than traditional models. Installation costs can be initially high, but the subsequent savings will eventually outweigh any upfront investment.

Insulating Pipes for Energy Conservation

Heating and cooling loss through uninsulated pipes can increase your energy consumption quite substantially. Insulation is a simple and cost-effective way to reduce your energy costs and improve the system’s overall efficiency, especially in cold climates where heat loss could be significant.

For hot water lines, insulated pipes can keep the water hot longer, meaning your water heater works less, and you don’t waste potable water while waiting for it to get hot. For cold lines, winterizing your home with insulation can prevent the pipes from freezing and bursting, which would lead to water waste and expensive repairs.

Glass fiber, foam, or rubber are standard materials used for pipe insulation. When rightly installed, the insulation could reduce up to 70% of heat loss.

Low-Flow Toilets and Showerheads

Switching to low-flow toilets and showerheads can contribute significantly towards conserving water. These fixtures maintain the same level of comfort while using fewer gallons per flush or minute.

The modern low-flow toilets consume only around 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf), much less compared to older models that use anywhere from 3.5 to 7 gpf. There’s also an option of dual-flush toilets allowing you to use different flush volumes depending on need – liquid wastes require less water compared to solid wastes.

Low-flow showerheads also help cut down on both your water and energy usage by limiting flow rates without compromising the performance. You still enjoy efficient showers but with substantially less resource consumption.

ecofriendly tankless heater

Sustainable Practices for Maintenance

A well-maintained plumbing system is critical for sustainability. Regular checks help detect leaks early, potentially saving thousands of gallons of water over time – not to mention avoiding unnecessary increases in your water bills.

Regular drain cleaning can help maintain optimal flow rates and prevent major clogs that could lead to back-ups or overflows. Being mindful of what you flush down the drains can also prevent blockages and potentially damage your plumbing system.

Don’t forget to also regularly check your sump pump, especially prior to wet seasons, ensuring its effectiveness during heavy rains. Sump pump failure could spell costly water damage to your house.

To Summarize

In a world where sustainability is continually growing in importance, every effort counts. Employing eco-friendly practices in your plumbing systems is an excellent start to this cause.

With the detailed benefits explained, it’s clear how these actions not only conserve these precious resources but also save money in the long run. So, why not make the switch today and contribute towards a greener future?

Building Businesses with Purpose: Social Entrepreneurship

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Although profit margins often dominate business discussions, a new wave of entrepreneurs is emerging, driven not only by financial success but by a deeper sense of purpose. Social entrepreneurship has taken root as a powerful means of positive change, emphasizing a fusion of profit-making with social impact. In this article, we delve into the key characteristics of social entrepreneurship. So, let’s explore how the business landscape is being reshaped by enterprises built with purpose.

Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurship

Defining Social Entrepreneurship

At its core, social entrepreneurship is about creating sustainable and scalable solutions to address pressing social and environmental challenges. Unlike traditional entrepreneurship solely focused on profit, social entrepreneurs leverage innovative business models to effect positive change. They identify gaps in society, develop innovative solutions, and build enterprises that prioritize social, environmental, and economic impact.

Examples of Social Entrepreneurship in Action

Social entrepreneurship can take many forms. Some of the common initiatives include microfinance institutions, fair trade organizations, renewable energy projects in underserved communities, and enterprises providing employment opportunities for marginalized groups.

Key Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurship

To help you understand all that goes into becoming a social entrepreneur, below are top five characteristic that are seen within organizations practicing social entrepreneurship.

1.  Mission-Driven Approach

Social entrepreneurs are guided by a clear and compelling mission to address a specific social or environmental issue. This mission becomes the driving force behind every business decision, aligning the company’s values with its impact objectives.

2. Innovative Solutions

Social entrepreneurs are known for their ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions to complex problems. Whether it’s through technology, business models, or service delivery, these individuals seek transformative approaches to drive positive change.

how companies can become more eco-friendly

3. Triple Bottom Line

While traditional businesses focus on profit as the sole bottom line, social entrepreneurs adopt the triple bottom line approach. They measure success not only by financial profitability but also by social and environmental impact, creating a well-rounded evaluation of their enterprise.

4. Collaborative Ecosystems

Social entrepreneurship thrives on collaboration. Successful social entrepreneurs actively engage with diverse stakeholders, including governments, non-profits, businesses, and communities. Building a supportive ecosystem is crucial for scalability and sustained impact.

5. Sustainable Business Locations

Social entrepreneurs design business models that prioritize long-term sustainability. In their brick and mortar locations, they often strive to reach net zero emissions by a combination of efforts including: Utilizing renewable energy sources (such as installing a solar panel system), adding double or triple paned windows, switching to energy efficient lighting (such as replacing fluorescent lights with LED), and choosing energy efficient heating and cooling methods (such as a geothermal pump system).

Ways to Make Your Business Eco-Friendly

6. Measurable Impact

Social entrepreneurs are committed to quantifying and measuring the impact of their initiatives. Through metrics and key performance indicators, they track the progress of their mission, ensuring transparency and accountability to stakeholders.

7. Adaptability and Resilience

The social entrepreneurship landscape is dynamic and often challenging. Successful social entrepreneurs exhibit adaptability and resilience, embracing setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. Their ability to navigate obstacles is crucial for the longevity of their impact.

Making an Impact, Not Just an Income

In a world faced with complex social and environmental challenges, social entrepreneurship stands out as a beacon of hope. Building businesses with purpose goes beyond profit margins; it involves a commitment to creating positive change and leaving a lasting impact on society. As more entrepreneurs adopt the key characteristics of social entrepreneurship, we can anticipate a transformative shift in the business landscape—one where purpose-driven enterprises become the norm rather than the exception.

The Problem of Plastic Pollution in the UAE and Possible Solutions

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Plastic pollution is a serious global issue. The United Nations Environment programme highlights that each day, “the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes”. Annually, this translates into some 19-23 million tons of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems and pollutes lakes, rivers and seas. According to data collected by Greenpeace, the MENA region has the world’s highest per capita plastic footprint. On average, “residents in MENA contribute more than 6 kg of plastic waste to the surrounding marine environment every year, as per World Bank report estimates, published in May, 2023. Meanwhile, plastic pollution continues to be a real problem in the UAE due to it affluence, increase in population, and growing consumerism.

plastic trash on a beach in the UAE

The scale of the UAE’s plastic pollution problem has both pragmatic and lasting consequences.  According to an Environment Agency Abu Dhabi survey, it is estimated that the average person in the UAE uses around 500 single-use plastic bottles per year, which is far above the global average. The effect of plastic pollution on the UAE’s environment is deadly as plastic ends up deposited in the ocean and harms marine life and ecosystems across the wider Persian Gulf. In 2022, Dubai officials found out that nine in ten turtles found dead near the UAE coast had plastic in their stomachs. From both an ethical and environmental perspective, it seems imperative to curb plastic pollution, otherwise the UAE’s marine life is at risk.

Realizing the risks and challenge plastic pollution poses to the environment, the UAE government is working to promote sustainable solutions to address this issue. The COP28 climate change conference in Dubai, which gathered thousands of environmental scientists, policy makers and activists from across the globe, has put added significance to the measure taken by the UAE.

The Plastic Free Pacific conference, which focused on plastic pollution in the Asia-Pacific region and globally, presented at COP28 and advocated for a paradigm shift to reduce the problem of plastic pollution and find solutions. COP28 raised the alarm, however looking at the damage plastic doing, there is need for highlighting the relationship between the world’s emissions of fossil fuels, as plastic production in manufacturing and consumption of goods is a high carbon emission activity.

Primary plastic polymers are essential to the manufacture of plastics, and some 98% of them are derived from fossil fuels. The move from plastic pollution in the form of plastic bags, cutlery and utensils and towards sustainable materials only makes sense if fossil fuels are phased out. This is as phasing out fossil fuels leads to decarbonizing plastic production and even reducing overall plastic production and the quantity of plastic deposited in the UAE’s beaches and oceans.

The UAE government, big business and NGOs are working together as part of the Rebound Plastic Exchange (RPE) project. The RPE project encourages people and businesses to recycle plastic waste, thus diverting plastic from ending up in landfills, incinerated or deposited in the UAE’s oceans. Therefore, through the RPE initiative the UAE seeks to reduce the amount of marine debris, and damage to marine life and ecosystems by plastic pollution. The RPE initiative will reduce the overall plastic consumption and curb the throwaway culture, thereby helping to preserve marine life and vulnerable ecosystems like coral reefs. The government and the civil society should work together to implement proactive measures such as responsible waste management practices, enhanced recycling systems, strict regulations on waste disposal and raising waste awareness.

The UAE government ordinance which plans to charge for and phase out disposable plastic bags is a seen as a pragmatic step in the right direction. Such efforts coincide with the focus on the UAE Circular Economy Policy, to promote better waste management to protect fragile ecosystem of the country.

plastic-waste-middle-east

Plastic waste pose a serious threat to marine life in the Middle East

In addition, the UAE has implemented other policies to curb plastic pollution. Abu Dhabi implemented a ban on single use plastics back in 2022, and to date 450,000 single-use plastic bags have been saved in the area. Sarah Goldsmith, writing for Borg and Overstrom, highlights the role of public policy with the ‘Dubai Can’ initiative. This initiative solves the problem of plastic pollution in Dubai by encouraging residents to use re-fillable water bottles and installing water dispensers and stations across the city. In turn, this policy decreases plastic pollution as the use of re-fillable water battles reduces the demand for plastic water bottles, much of which ends up in landfills to the detriment of wildlife and people because of the carcinogenic effects of plastic pollution.

Furthermore, the UAE government, charities and civil society have taken active steps to curb plastic pollution. The UAE government has banned plastic bags effective since the beginning of 2024. The UAE government has proposed a ban on the importation of plastic cutlery, cups, Styrofoam and boxes effective January 1, 2026.  When the UAE government’s decisive action on plastic pollution is evaluated in line with policy recommendations by businesses and charities, it can be argued that the UAE is mobilizing to tackle plastic pollution and find solutions to the issue. Putting in context the risk to environment, animal and human life, controlling plastic pollution has to be part of public awareness. Legislations and laws need public support to be successful.

Besides the direct impact of environment, plastic pollution negatively impacts the health of people as plastic. The influential environmental think tank, the Geneva Environment Network, has conducted research into the relationship between high levels of plastic pollution and human health and wellbeing. Some of the scientifically proven health implications of plastic pollution include higher levels of cancer, changes in human hormone activity (endocrine disruption) and reproductive, growth and cognitive impairment. In turn, the harmful effects of plastic pollution on human health also impact the UAE and its residents due to high levels of plastic pollution in this region. This is especially important given the scale of plastic pollution in the UAE. In a 2019 report, the World Bank estimated that some, “11 billion single-use plastic items in the UAE are consumed annually, an average of 4.8kg per person”.

Therefore, the health effects of plastic pollution in the UAE, especially given the UAE’s large plastic footprint, are alarming. The trophic transfer of micro-plastics into human food chain is an established fact. Since one animal eats another, micro-plastics move through the food chain, thereby endangering the lives of many animals and eventually having consequences for human health. Researchers Dr. Marcus Eriksen, an environmental scientist, and Dr. Ulrich Wernery, a veterinary microbiologist, both work in the UAE and have discovered that 1% of camels died due to the ingestion of plastic that amassed over time in their digestive tracts. These plastics kill ill camels slowly by blocking their intestines, tearing at internal organs and creating conditions for bacterial infection.

camel eating plastic wastes

Large numbers of camels in the Middle East die every year due to plastic ingestion

Plastic pollution has a serious impact on marine life, and this links with the need to find alternatives to plastic. Derek Baldwin, writing for Gulf News in 2016, notes, “Small fish prefer to eat the plastic and gorge themselves on tiny plastic pieces smaller than five millimeters” and this leads to stunted growth and greatly increased mortality rates. This has practical outcomes, too, and “divers in the UAE confirm that plastics witnessed in recent dives in local waters pose deadly hazards for fish and sea turtles that ingest the pollution believing the debris to be food”.

Overall, plastic pollution is a serious global problem and one that also affects the UAE. The rise of a consumer society, international trade and a growing population have led to an increase in plastic pollution. However, recent years have seen UAE society move towards policies that effectively curb plastic pollution, like Rebound Plastic Exchange (RPE) and the ‘Dubai Can’ initiative help reduce plastic consumption and encourage reusing plastic items rather than a throwaway culture. This is very important given the UAE’s tourism based economy and overreliance on the hospitality sector, and so reducing plastic pollution is important to keep the tourist industry running.

As the UAE is popular with tourists due to its beaches, diving and marine activities, plastic pollution can harm tourism prospects and lead to falling revenue from tourism. However, it is only if further legislation is passed by the UAE government that plastic pollution can be controlled in the long-term, as when the UAE government shifts policy then residents, NGOs and civil society will respond.

السياحة البيئية في سلطنة عُمان

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eco-tourismالسياحة والسفر والرحلات البرية والبحرية في العالم باتت ركيزة أساسية في كل مكان. وأصبحت محط أنظار الاقتصاديين في استغلال المكونات الطبيعية و التراثية الثقافية لرفع اقتصاد أي دولة في العالم. و تطورت السياحة في العالم الغربي بشكل كبير, و تزايدت اعداد السياح في العالم مما أدى إلى ظهور مكاتب مسؤولة عن السياحة في كل دولة لحساب عدد السياح من الجانب المحلي الإقليمي والدولي. و تطورت السياحة إلى حد كبير وتعددت أنواعها و مقاصدها؛ حيث وجدت السياحة الطبيعية، الرياضية، العلاجية، التعليمية، الثقافية الحضارية، الخضراء و المستدامة. وكل هذه الأنواع المختلفة من السياحة ضلت في ازدهار مستمر.

 حتى ظهر مصطلح السياحة البيئية في عام 1983، و قد تم إعلان العام 2002 عام السياحة البيئية في كيبيك في كندا، حيث زادت نسبة السياحة البيئية بحوالي 10-15% من إجمالي الإنفاق السياحي العالمي، و وفقاً لمنظمة السياحة الدولية فقد قام حوالي 30 مليون سائح دولي برحلات سياحة بيئية. و في هذا النطاق أحتلت جمهورية كوستاريكا الأمريكية  المرتبة الأولى عالمياً في تنمية قطاع السياحة البيئية.

وقد عرفت السياحة البيئية  من قبل الصندوق العالمي للبيئة بأنه "السفر إلى مناطق طبيعية لم يلحق بها التلوث ولم يتعرض توازنها الطبيعي إلى الخلل، وذلك للاستمتاع بمناظرها ونباتاتها وحيواناتها البرية وحضاراتها في الماضي والحاضر. و بمعنى آخر كذلك تعرف السياحة البيئية أيضا بأنها زيارة  إلى مناطق طبيعية غير معرضة نسبيًا لأية أضرار، وذلك للتمّتع بالطبيعة وأية معالم ثقافية حاضرة وماضية ترافقها. و يكون السائح مسؤولاً بيئيًا بحيث يحافظ على الموقع الطبيعي، و بأحداث أقل قدر من الضرر على الطبيعة ومواردها.

و تتمركز السياحة البيئية العمانية في عدة مكونات طبيعية منها؛ أولاً، جبال السلطنة الشمالية حيث تبرز جمال المناظر الطبيعية الخلابة مدعومة بالحياة البرية. و تتصف أنشطة السياحة البيئية في الجبال بشيء من المتعة والمغامرة، حيث  تقام رياضة تسلق الجبال، و المشي بينها، التخييم الجماعي، اكتشاف المغارات و الكهوف، و تتبع مجاري الأودية للوصول لمناطق ذات جمالية طبيعية. ثانياً، الصحاري إحدى أهم المواقع السياحية في السلطنة و من أهمها صحراء رمال وهيبة و صحراء الربع الخالي المرتبطة بالمملكة العربية السعودية من جهة الغرب. وفيها تقام أنشطة التخييم، مشاهدة النجوم ليلاً و المشي في الكثبان الرملية الذهبية. ثالثاً، المناطق الساحلية و البحرية التي تعد مواقع غنية بالتنوع الإيحائي،  ويتضح ذلك في منطقة رأس الحد في المنطقة الشرقية حيث تعشش أربعة أنواع من السلاحف ناهيك عن الشعاب المرجانية الموجودة في بحار السلطنة. و في هذا المجال قد طرحت السلطنة مشاريع  لتنمية السياحة البيئية ومنها عُمان تحت الماء و مشروع مشاهدة السلاحف. و قد عرفت المحميات الطبيعية في السلطنة مواقع سياحية بيئية.

و في عام 2010م حصلت السلطنة المركز الأول عالمياً في مجال السياحة البيئية، التي تمنحها صحيفة برلينا تاج زاوتون الالكترونية الالمانية المتخصصة. تعتبر الجائزة مؤشراً إيجابياً على سلامة النهج الذي تنتهجه السلطنة في مجال حماية وصون البيئة والذي يرتكز بشكل أساس على مبدأ تحقيق التوازن بين متطلبات التنمية الشاملة وحماية وصون الموارد الطبيعية.

و في هذا النطاق  تتميز السياحة البيئية في عُمان عن غيرها من الدول، حيث تعطي السائح طابعاً مميزاً، و تترك في ذاكرته جمال الطبيعة العمانية و عراقة التراث و التاريخ و سماحة العمانيين في استقبال السياح.  و بذلك يتحقق مطلب هذا النوع من السياحة لتبقى الاستدامة في المرتبة الأولى وبذلك تصان البيئات المختلفة و تبقى الموارد الطبيعية في استخدام متوازن للأجيال القادمة.

5 Ways To Keep Your Home Warm This Winter

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The year’s coldest and bitterest season can have us scrambling for room heater, extra jumpers, blankets and coats even within the comfort of our own homes. But it certainly doesn’t have to be the case. By making a number of incredibly simple changes, you can quickly replace the chill enveloping your home during the winter season with a welcomingly warm glow.

1. Eliminate draughts

A warm home isn’t just the result of an excellent source of heat; it is also contingent on its ability to retain heat. This is where insulation comes in. To prevent heat escaping, vulnerable areas like windows and doors need to be shored up.

draught proofing your home

Thankfully, these draughts can be eliminated inexpensively. You can buy a draught excluder for a few pounds; or, depending on your aptitude for DIY, you can even make one on your own – all from materials you more than likely have lying around the house.

2. Effective heating with domestic hot water circulators

Installing a circulating pump is a wise investment for a number of reasons. Not only will it provide your home with an instant supply of hot water, it will also more efficiently heat and distribute water around your home than a conventional boiler.

Central heating pumps from Pump Sales Direct are equipped with electric controlled wet rotor pumps, which allow the pump to intelligently adapt to your system’s changing demands to maintain maximum efficiency at all times.

3. Curtain call

A heat-saving change that won’t cost you a penny, opening and closing your curtains in tandem with the sun’s appearance is something you can’t afford not to take advantage of. It is important to use as much of the natural heat energy provided by the sun as possible and opening your curtains during daylight hours is an important heat-saving solution.

Keeping your curtains closed after the sun has gone in is equally important. The thicker your curtains, the more heat will be saved.

4. Stop heat escaping through chimney

Easily overlooked, chimneys can be a significant source of heat loss within the home. They can however, just as easily be closed over. Chimney balloons, relatively inexpensive at around £20, can be placed within the chimney hole, out of sight, and inflated until they occupy enough space to shut out incoming cold air and trap escaping heat.

5. Retain heat from your radiators

Usually reserved for wrapping up your lunch, tin foil can also be used as a heat-saving device. Positioned behind radiators, aluminium foil will reflect heat back into the room instead of allowing it to escape through walls.

ground source heat pump

The tin foil you’d find in your kitchen cupboards will make a difference, but if you want to see a more pronounced impact, you’ll have to shell out for specially designed foil. Still, at under £10, it represents excellent value for money.

Final Words

As you’ve hopefully learnt, keeping your home warm doesn’t require a gargantuan effort; it just requires some minor, easy-to-make changes. More effectively and efficiently heating your home also has a monetary benefit. If just having a warmer home wasn’t reason enough to make some changes, the added financial incentive should be more than enough of a motivator.

Solar Energy in Qatar

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Qatar’s solar energy future is steadily developing. With average daily sunshine of around 9.5 hours, low-cloud cover conditions and plentiful space, there is great scope for small, medium as well as large-scale solar power projects in the country. Qatar’s global horizontal irradiance is 2,140 kWh per m2 per year which makes it well-suited for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.

The country is geographically well-positioned to tap its tremendous solar energy potential and has set an ambitious target of 2 percent renewable energy contribution in the national energy mix by 2022. Solar energy has multiple advantages for Qatar in the form of energy security, improved air quality, reduced GHG emissions, employment opportunities, apart from augmenting water and food security.

solar-qatar-foundation

In addition to solar PV, Qatar has very good potential for concentrated solar power (CSP) as its direct normal irradiance (DNI) value is around 2,008 kWh per m2 per year which is above the minimum threshold of 1,800 kWh per m2 per year. Qatar’s concentrated solar power potential can be effectively utilized in seawater desalination processes as well as large-scale power generation.

CSP offers an attractive option to power industrial-scale desalination plants that require both high temperature fluids and electricity. CSP can provide stable energy supply for continuous operation of desalination plants, based on thermal or membrane processes, in Qatar. Leading CSP technology companies are taking a keen interest in Qatar solar market and rapid developments are expected in the coming years.

Major Developments

Qatar’s foray in solar sector has been boosted by its emergence as regional R&D hub and ongoing transformation into a knowledge-based economy. Currently, efforts have focused on developing solar capacity in the country through research centers, universities, utilities and pilot projects, and a number of institutions including Kahramaa, Qatar Foundation, QNFSP and QSTP are actively working on this front. Infact, the number of institutions and companies in Qatar’s solar sector has rapidly multiplied in recent years.

The state electricity and water utility Kahramaa is spearheading efforts to transform Qatar into a regional solar hub. Kahramaa’s first solar power facility, to be setup in Duhail over 100,000 m2 area, is expected to be operational by 2016 with a generation capacity of 15MW. Kahramaa has targeted a generation capacity of 200MW solar power at 60 sites across the country by 2020.

To make up for Qatar’s space constraints, the company plans to install solar panels on redundant surfaces such as roofs of power stations and water reservoirs, thereby utilizing existing power transmission lines which will substantially reduced construction costs.

Qatar Foundation has the largest pipeline of PV installations in the country and is producing around 85 percent of Qatar’s total solar energy. It recently announced the launch of one of the Gulf region’s first Energy Monitoring Centre (EMC) to manage its smart grid and monitor solar power generation across all sites within Education City. The EMC is part of the recently completed Solar Smart-Grid Project that added a total of 1.68MW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at various facilities within the QF campus. The project is also the first commercial PV project in Qatar to be granted approval for grid connection from Kahramaa.

QNCC was the first LEED certified project in Qatar and remains its largest rooftop solar system installed to date. QSTech, a polysilicon plant owned by Qatar Foundation and SolarWorld, is nearing completion and will produce 8,000 tonnes per annum of high grade polysilicon for export to the world’s solar energy markets. QSTec is also constructing a 150 MW Solar Module manufacturing facility and a 1.4MW solar farm at Ras Laffan.

Qatar National Food Security Programme (QNFSP) has placed a strong emphasis on solar power as part of its master plan to devise a holistic solution to food security. QNFSP’s efforts are motivated by the objectives of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, which aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, in addition to achieving environmental sustainability. Desalination powered by solar energy will not only ensure affordable, sustainable and secure freshwater supply but will also help increase the capacity for farming.

The performance of photovoltaic systems is affected by local geographical and climatic challenges, including high temperature, humidity and soiling. Qatar Science & Technology Park and Chevron have established a test facility at QSTP which will evaluate ten to twenty different solar technologies, both photovoltaic and thermal. It is part of Chevron’s $20 million Center for Sustainable Energy Efficiency at QSTP, which will also evaluate solar air conditioning and low-energy lighting technologies. The aim is to provide local organisations with reliable data that will help them conduct solar feasibility studies, compare different technologies, and select the right products.

Dubai’s Journey Towards a Sustainable City

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Only a decade ago, Dubai was considered one of the world’s worst polluters. The ecological footprint of this single city was huge, however, by 2050 it could be a sustainable city with the smallest ecological footprint of any city in the world.

Why Sustainability Matters

Over the last couple of decades, the need for a renewed focus on our global commitment has become obvious. We have started to see an unusually high rate of extreme weather events across the globe, events which many scientists are attributing to global warming.

dubai

Time is running out to take decisive action on climate change. Governments around the world have pledged to try and hit certain targets under the Paris climate accords. In accordance with these targets, many nations have introduced new regulations regarding town planning and urban development.

It is becoming increasingly common to see people with town planning experience in one country, taking that experience and deploying it elsewhere. This makes sense if you think about it. For example, someone experienced at planning towns in Australia, especially in the country’s harsher climate, would have plenty to offer town planners in similar climates around the world.

A Ski Slope in the Dessert

Dubai has always been a city of innovation. It boasts some very impressive architecture, for which it is known around the world. In fact, the tallest freestanding structure in the world is in Dubai. For many, the most emblematic symbol of Dubai’s innovative streak, and its mastery over the harsh local climate, is Ski Dubai.

Ski Dubai is an indoor artificial ski-slope, it is where Emiratis first learn to ski, before they head to world-renowned resorts in Europe. As impressive an achievement as Ski Dubai is, it also represents something else about Dubai.

The Pollution Problem

Dubai has exploded in terms of population in recent years, having been a small fishing and trading port of little note until an oil and real estate boom. Like most rapidly developing countries, Dubai’s growth has come with a significant environmental cost. When Emiratis want a ski slope in the middle of the desert, they build one. There have been numerous other projects undertaken to transform Dubai and overcome natural obstacles.

Dubai’s leaders have now recognized that the current rate of development is ecologically unsustainable.

A Sustainable Future

However, Dubai is already operating a fleet of driverless metro trains, these are usually faster than travelling on the cities congested roads. Coupled with the investments Dubai is making in water treatment, waste recycling facilities, green spaces and green buildings, and the solar power plant they are currently building, Dubai is making excellent progress towards becoming the most sustainable city in the world.

Dubai’s leaders have now recognized that the current rate of development is ecologically unsustainable. New environmental policies, and a more ecologically conscious approach in general, have been needed for some time. While they are overdue, no one can deny that they are comprehensive.

A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable to predict that Dubai might become one of the greenest cities in the world. However, this is looking to be an increasingly realistic possibility.

Water Line Maintenance: Importance and Benefits

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Regular water line maintenance is essential as it ensures continuous water supply and prevents pipes from bursting which is costly to repair and replace. Water is vital to every home and hence the need to ensure that there is a good flow of water into your home. Some homeowners prefer to inspect their water lines to cut down costs but, in the long run, it will be costly if you do not get professional services. Various plumbing service in Singapore offer these services to homeowners, and you can use the internet to find the most reputable.

Keep reading to know the importance and benefits of water line maintenance:

water-leakage

1. Identify water line problems early

When you hire a professional plumber to check on your water lines, they will use their equipment to determine if there is any problem that could arise in the future and they look for ways to prevent it. The technician will advise you on whether to repair and replace the water line systems.

2. Prevents water-borne diseases

When water pipe bursts and the water comes in contacts with sewage and other contaminants, this can lead to diseases such as cholera and other serious ailments. When you haven’t done repairs and replacements in your water line systems, they may get cracks which may give way to bacteria entering your water lines.

Therefore, to prevent water-related diseases, you need to make sure that your water pipes are functioning well and that there is no room for contaminants to get into your water system. Sometimes you might find that the water coming from your water lines is not as clean as it should be and this might be caused dirt from broken water lines.

3. Saves time and money

When you get your water lines repaired on time, it will save you on costs that you would spend if the problem developed into a bigger issue. Also, when you hire a plumber who is an expert, it will take less time checking on the lines to ensure that they are working correctly.

However, repairing a whole water line system may take several days, which might cause you to stay without water as the water lines are fixed. The cost of hiring a technician to inspect on your water pipes is less compared to the replacing your water lines.

4. Reduces the water bills

When your water lines crack and pipes bursts, it may take you a while before you realize it and this leads to increased water bills. If you notice that your water bills are more than the normal bill, contact a plumbing company to inspect your water line and find out if there are burst pipes and cracks.

Maintenance of water lines should be done after every few years. You may ask for referrals from your neighbors and friends when searching for a plumber. The best Singapore plumbing service should have contact details so that you can call them whenever you want your pipes to be inspected.

أحسن تدابير لتوفير الطاقة

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الطلب المتزايد على الطاقة يضيف إلى الضغط على احتياطيات الطاقة المحدودة لكوكبنا. هذا يؤدي إلى استنزاف سريع لهذه الموارد ، مما يجعل المرء يفكر في مسألة خطيرة – إذا استمر هذا ، كيف سيكون مستقبلنا؟ ليس بالضرورة أن تكون الصورة قاتمة. على الرغم من صحة هذا ، إلا أنه لا يمكننا عكس الضرر الذي ألحق بالفعل ، ولكن يمكننا بالتأكيد اتخاذ موقف لتحسين الأمور.

energy conservation guide

يمكنك توفير الطاقة إما عن طريق إجراء تعديلات صغيرة على عاداتك اليومية أو عن طريق إجراء تحسينات واسعة في بنية المنزل وفي داخله. في هذه العملية ، لن توفر الكثير من المال فحسب ، بل ستحمي البيئة بشكل كبير. دعونا نلقي نظرة على عشر طرق عملية للحفاظ على الطاقة.

  1. إجراء تغييرات صغيرة في عاداتك اليومية

نعم ، من خلال إجراء تغييرات طفيفة في عاداتك المنزلية اليومية ، يمكنك المساعدة في توفير الكثير من الطاقة. على سبيل المثال ، فصل أجهزة الشحن الخاصة بك بعد الاستخدام ، وإيقاف تشغيل المراوح / الأضواء والأجهزة الأخرى عند عدم الاستخدام ، وتجفيف الأطباق والملابس الخاصة بك ، وما إلى ذلك. هذه التغييرات تقطع شوطا طويلا في تقليل استهلاك الطاقة الإجمالي.

  1. أدخل الأجهزة الموفرة للطاقة إلى منزلك

قد تكون مغرمًا جدًا بتلك المروحة المألوفة في غرفة الرسم التي كانت معك منذ زمن بعيد. ولكن هل تعلم أنها أحد المساهمين الأساسيين في تكاليف الكهرباء المرتفعة؟ وينطبق الشيء نفسه على المصابيح الكهربائية المتوهجة. إنها نهمة للطاقة. قم بتبديلها بالمصابيح الكهربائية الموفرة للطاقة مثل المصابيح الفلورية المتضامة  CFLs ومصابيح LED . واليوم ، هناك أنواع مختلفة موفرة للطاقة في كل الأجهزة المنزلية تقريبًا مثل المراوح والمبردات وأجهزة التكييف والثلاجات وأجهزة التلفزيون ، على سبيل المثال لا الحصر. تستهلك هذه الأجهزة طاقة أقل بكثير مقارنة بنظيراتها التقليدية ، وبالتالي توفر الكثير من الطاقة.

  1. اختيار النوافذ الموفرة للطاقة

ما لا يعرفه معظمنا هو أن النوافذ هي أحد المصادر الرئيسية لفقدان الطاقة ويمكن أن تصل إلى حوالي 10 إلى 25٪ من تكاليف التدفئة. يمكنك تقليل فقدان الحرارة أثناء فصل الشتاء عن طريق تثبيت إطارات مزدوجة. كذلك ، يساعد التجريف والكشط حول النوافذ والأبواب والفتحات بشكل كبير في منع فقدان الحرارة ، وبالتالي الحفاظ على دفئ منزلك.

  1. النظر في ترقية نظام التكييف الخاص بك

يتكون نظام HVAC من التدفئة والتهوية وتكييف الهواء. يمكن أن يؤدي استبدال نظام HVAC القديم بطرازات موفرة للطاقة إلى تقليل إجمالي استهلاك الطاقة لنظام HVAC وخفض فواتير الخدمات العامة بشكل كبير. تعتبر معدات التكييف المعتمدة من Energy Star هي الخيار الأفضل.

hvac-air-filter

  1. تثبيت ترموستات مبرمجة

يمكن ضبط منظمات الحرارة القابلة للبرمجة لإيقاف التشغيل تلقائيًا وحتى لتقليل درجة الحرارة / التبريد عند النوم. تساعد هذه الميزات على تقليل الفاقد في الطاقة دون الحاجة إلى التنازل عن راحتك. تشير التقديرات إلى أن منظم الحرارة القابل للبرمجة يمكن أن يساعدك على توفير حوالي 11،000 روبية سنوياً!

  1. تقليل تكاليف تسخين المياه

تشكل تكاليف تسخين المياه جزءًا كبيرًا من إجمالي فاتورة المرافق. لمواجهة هذا ، أولا ، اختيار سخانات المياه الموفرة للطاقة. وبصرف النظر عن ذلك ، فإن ترموستات سخان الماء عند درجة حرارة منخفضة وعزل سخان المياه وكذلك أنابيب المياه الساخنة والباردة سوف يقلل من فقدان الحرارة ويساعدك على توفير الكثير من المال. يمكنك القيام بذلك عن طريق لف البطانيات العازلة حول سخان المياه التي من شأنها أن تقلل فقدان الحرارة بنسبة 25ــ45 ٪.

  1. تقليل وقت الاستحمام

تعود على الاستحمام القصير. يخرج رأس دش حوالي 2.5 جالون من الماء / دقيقة في المتوسط. وبالتالي ، من خلال تقليل وقت الاستحمام ، فإنك لا تساعد فقط في الحفاظ على الماء ولكن أيضًا تقليل تكاليف تشغيل المضخات كثيرًا.

  1. استخدم أدوات المطبخ بحكمة وكفاءة

تسخين بقايا الطعام في الميكروويف يستخدم طاقة أقل مقارنة بذلك في الأفران الكهربائية التقليدية. عند الطهي على موقد ، تأكد من إغلاق أغطية أواني الطهي. هذا يقلل من وقت الطهي من الطعام. استخدم غسالة الصحون فقط عندما تضطر إلى غسل حمولة كاملة من الأطباق. حاول تجفيف الأطباق الخاصة بك. إذا قمت بغسل الصحون ليلاً وإبقائها جافة في العراء ، فستستيقظ على الأطباق الجافة في الصباح ، دون استهلاك أي طاقة!

  1. اغسل الملابس في الماء البارد

يضمن غسل حمولة كاملة من الملابس مرة أو مرتين في الأسبوع أن الغسالة تعمل على إمكاناتها المثلى. استخدام الماء البارد لغسل الملابس يساعدك على خفض تكاليف تسخين المياه.

  1. غرس الكثير والكثير من الأشجار

إن زرع الأشجار حول منزلك يوفر الظل وبالتالي يبقي على الأجزاء الداخلية من المنزل باردة خلال فصل الصيف. لذلك ، لا تحتاج إلى تشغيل التيار المتردد في كل مرة ، وحتى إذا قمت بذلك ، يمكنك الحفاظ على درجة حرارة أقل. هذا سوف يقلل من تكاليف التبريد إلى حد كبير.

من خلال اعتماد هذه التغييرات البسيطة في نمط حياتك اليومي ، يمكنك المساعدة في الحفاظ على الطاقة. إذا قام كل فرد بدوره في توفير الطاقة ، تخيل فقط مقدار الطاقة التي يمكن أن ينقذها العالم سنوياً!

تذكر ، يبدأ التغيير منك ، لذا ابدأ الآن!

ترجمه للعربية يوسف بنغزواني

يوسف بنغزواني:  خريج المعهد العالي للتجارة وإدارة المقاولات بالمغرب. حاصل على البكالوريا في الاقتصاد  وعلى ماجستير في إدارة الأعمال (MBA) من كندا. هو ايضا متخصص في إدارة المشاريع معتمد  من قبل معهد إدارة المشاريع (PMI) في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

The Menace of Marine Litter

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Marine litter, long a neglected topic, has started to garner some attention. Marine litter is composed of a diverse mix of items from various sources and so a one-size fits all solution is unlikely to be effective. Abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), shipping wastes, plastic packaging (bottles, caps, bags, etc.) and plastic manufacturing pellets are amongst the most common and persistent items found. Comparing the feasibility and the financial case for recovery versus prevention for each of these groups reveals a worrying gap in our attempts to deal with the problem.

marine-waste

Scale of the Problem

Abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is arguably the most damaging type of marine debris as it continues to fish the oceans, trapping and killing animals for years after it goes overboard. Nets are often located in high numbers around known fishing grounds making targeted recovery possible. Even in such hotspots, recovery is costly and tends to fall to the third sector. An effectively priced deposit scheme with port and shore facilities to support the collection and recycling of damaged gear should reduce the amount of fishing gear discarded and fund the recovery of the remaining items.

While it is thought that 80% of marine litter originates on land, it seems clear that there is an on-going flux between terrestrial and marine environments. Floods can increase the flow of litter down rivers to the sea, while storms stir up the ocean, leading to litter that has already entered the marine environment being deposited in greater than usual amounts on beaches.

In 2013 the European Commission published three studies looking into the composition and sources of marine litter in European seas. In a chapter integrating the results it noted that:

“Plastics are the most abundant debris found in the marine environment and comprise more than half of marine litter in European Regional Seas. More than half of the plastic fraction is composed of plastic packaging waste with plastic bottles and plastic bags being predominant types of plastic packaging…

Therefore, measures within a strategy to close the largest loopholes in the plastic packaging cycle should target plastic bottles and plastic bags.”

Capping the Problem

Plastic packaging is one of the most common items of marine debris with grave impacts upon marine wildlife. Foraging birds are known to ingest large quantities of plastic, especially caps and lids, turtles eat plastic bags mistaking them for jellyfish, and many species are recorded as trapped and disfigured by beverage can yokes.

However the impacts are even further reaching. As plastics break down they are ingested by smaller and smaller organisms. Recent studies have found that plankton ingest tiny fragments of plastic which are then passed up the food chain through predation. In fact, there may already be plastic in the tissue of the fish that we consume.

Despite hype about profitable schemes that will clean the ocean gyres in five years, the breakdown of material makes recovery almost impossible. Plastic debris may outweigh plankton by a ratio of 6:1 in the areas of highest concentration but widespread skimming of the ocean surface will also harvest vast amounts of the phytoplankton, zooplankton and other organisms living there. The majority of marine life lives at the surface and so, considering the risk of disruption to the entire marine food chain, the plankton baby is one that you really don’t want to throw out with the plastic-polluted bathwater.

Whilst debris recovery efforts may be able to remove small quantities of plastic packaging, in particular the larger items, it cannot deal with the full spectrum and so is largely ineffective as a response to the litter problem. The real challenge is not to clear litter once it is in the ocean doing damage, but to prevent it from getting there in the first place. Container deposit schemes and plastic bag levies have been shown to be highly effectual means of reducing litter on land; and by extension, will help to prevent marine litter.

Ex-Pellets from the Oceans

Plastic manufacturing pellets, or nurdles as they are known in the industry, are often underreported debris items as they are so small that they often escape observation. They are typically less than 5mm in diameter and unusually for marine debris are from known sources as they are only used in the manufacturing of plastic products.

Locating and separating such small objects from the world’s oceans is clearly a mammoth task of considerable expense. Instead the manufacturing industry has initiated a programme of environmental responsibility to limit the loss of the pellets. Praised as an effective and affordable program, the initiative would have even greater impact if adopted as an industry standard world-wide, especially if combined with further efforts to reduce pellet loss during transport.

There are no effective natural processes that remove marine debris. The flow of material into the oceans vastly exceeds any practicable man-made method of extracting this growing soup of litter. The only way to tackle the issue is to prevent marine litter entering the oceans in the first place. Effective measures to prevent this pollution at source already exist. Some, such as levies or blanket ban on single use carrier bags, are becoming more widespread, but others such as deposit refund schemes are still very limited, both in terms of geography and the types of packaging targeted.

Note: The article is being republished with the kind permission of our collaborative partner Isonomia. The original article can be viewed at this link.

الطحالب – معمل وقود حيوي

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اتجهت أبحاث الخبراء والمتخصصين فى الفترة الأخيرة إلى التركيز علي إنتاج الوقود الحيوى من الطحالب الخضراء، خاصة بعد إقرار بدء مرحلة نضوب النفط فى فترة زمنية قريبة، وأنه سينضب أكثر من 95% من مصادر البترول الموجودة على سطح الأرض.   وايضا مشكله الغذاء المحتمل حدوثها في حاله استخدام المنتجات الزراعيه او مخلفاتها في الوقود الحيوي لانتاج منتجات الوقود مثل وقود الديزل الحيوي, الايثانول, الجازولين الحيوي و غيرهم من منتجات الوقود الحيوي.

وقد اشارت االعديد من الدراسات الحديثه الي ان الطحالب الخضراء كمصدر للوقود تندرج تحت لواء مصادر الطاقه المتجددة وخاصا بعد التزايد المستمر في سعر الوقود الاحفوري. فهي تنمو بسرعة ولها أثر محدود على البيئة ولا تؤثر علي الاحتياج العالمي للغذاء مثل القمح والذرة والسكر.

ما هي الطحالب؟

الطحالب هي كائنات دقيقة وحيدة الخلية ولها قدرة علي التمثيل الضوئي. تتميز بمعدل نمو سريع. تعتبرمن اقدم انواع الحياه علي وجه الارض. حيث يعتقد ان الوقود الاحفوري تكون من الطحالب في العصر القديم. وتتتم عملية البناء الضوئي في ظل استخدام الكربون والمياه في وجود اشعه الشمس و نسب بسيطة من الفوسفات والنترات والتي ممكن الحصول عليها من مياه الصرف. وفي ظل وجود الظروف الجيدة للنمو , تضاعف الطحالب نموها خلال 24ساعة. باضافة الى ذلك, الطحالب تحتوى على محتوى زيت يزداد عن 50% من محتواها الكتلي في بعض انواع الطحالب لذا تم استغلال هذه النسبة لانتاج الوقود. وتنتج سلالات متنوعه تترواح في تركيبها باشكال تتشابهه كميائيا لسلسله الهيدروكربونات البترولية.

مميزات الطحالب

بخلاف ان الطحالب تنتج الدهون, تقوم ايضا بانتاج البروتين ومركبات الكربون والسكريات. وبعض سلالات الطحالب تقوم بتكسير مركبات السكريات لانتاج الكحول في ظل توافر الظروف المناسبة للتفاعل.

والكتله الحيوية للطحالب يمكنها التشكل لانواع مختلفة من المواد الكميائية والبوليمرات, (السكريات، والإنزيمات، أصباغ ومعادن). او الوقود الحيوي (مثل وقود الديزل الحيوي, مواد قلويه, كحول). غذاء وعلف ( مثل الاحماض الدهنية غير المشبعه, فيتامينات وغيرها) و ايضا المركبات النشطة بيولوجيا (مثل المضادات الحيويه, مضادات الاكسدة والتمثيل الغذائي) من خلال تقنيات المعالجة والمحفزات المجهرية والتحلل الحراري.

كما أن الوقود الحيوي المشتق من الطحالب لا يشارك الإيثانول في بعض الصفات غير المرغوب فيها، حيث إنه يمكن تحويل الطحالب إلى شكل مصنع من أشكال وقود البنزين، الديزل أو وقود الطائرات، أو إلى مادة خام مثل النفط يمكن معالجتها في المصافي التقليدية. لكن إنتاج الوقود الحيوي من الطحالب يجابه في الوقت الحاضر تحديا كبيرا جدا يتمثل في ارتفاع تكاليف الإنتاج بصورة كبيرة.

من اهم ما يميز استخدام الطحالب كبديل للوقود انها لا تحتاج الي اراضي صالحة للزراعه فمن الممكن زراعتها في الصحاري, كما انها لا تتطلب مياه عذبة وقيمتها الغذائية عالية. هناك الكثير من الابحاث المركزة علي الطحالب الخضراء في جميع انحاء العالم, وبالاخص في امريكا الشمالية واروبا مع عدد كبير من الشركات التي خصصت مبالغ مالية كبير لتطوير الابحاث المنعقدة علي الطحالب الخضراء كمصدر بديل للوقود الاحفوري.

وفى إنتاج الوقود السائل من الطحالب يتم بطريقة كيميائية بسيطة؛ إذ يجرى تحويل الزيوت المستخلصة إلى ديزل حيوى، وإن هناك نوعين من الطحالب يستخدمان فى هذه العملية: الأعشاب البحرية التى يوجد بها كمية كبيرة من الزيت يتم درسها ثم استخلاص الزيوت منها لتحويلها إلى وقود، والثانى الطحالب الدقيقة التى تُزرع داخل المعمل؛ حيث تُعرف نسبة الزيت الموجودة داخل الخلية ثم يبدأ التغيير فى الوسط الغذائى لها، وكلما كانت نسبة الدهون أعلى كان أفضل.

 وتشير معظم الدراسات العلمية الي امكانية انتاج الزيوت من حوالي 25-50 طن للهكتار الواحد سنويا من الطحالب الخضراء. وتحتوي الطحالب الدقيقة, من بين بعض المركبات البيوكيميائية الاخري علي الدهون المحايدة( ثلاثي, ثنائي, احادي الجلسريد احماض دهنية حره), والدهون القطبية (الدهون السكرية, الدهون الفوسفاتية) و استرات الشمع.  

يختلف المحتوي الدهني للطحالب المجهريه 1-90% من الوزن الجاف ويوقف علي نوع وسلاله الطحالب وظروف الانتاج. أن عملية إنتاج الوقود من الطحالب تمر بعدة مراحل؛ ففى البداية لا بد من تأكد جودة الزيت الموجود داخل الخلايا ثم استخلاصه، وفى النهاية، وبمعادلة كيميائية، يتم تحويل الزيوت إلى بيوديزل.

واستخدام الطحالب كسماد اثبت كفاءة عالية للانتاج,فأى محصول زراعى يحتاج إلى عناصر غذائية معينة، كوحدات البوتاسيوم والأوكسجين ووحدات الفوسفور، ومن ثم فهى تحتاج إلى أى مركب يحتوى على هذه العناصر والطحالب غنية بها.

مرحلة الانتاج والتكرير

من اجل تطوير مستدام والحصول علي المردود الاقتصادي المطلوب من استخدام الطحالب, فان استخدام الكتله الحيوية( بروتين, دهون وكربوهيدات) لابد ان يتم الانتفاع بها. ومن هنا يتضح اهمية التكرير للطحالب المجهرية ليتم فصل و تحديد الكتله الحيوية المطلوب الحصول عليها. ان مصطلح التكرير يوصف تحليل وتجزئة العديد من السلاسل الكميائية بواسطة التكامل بين العمليات الحيوية في ضوء الاستدامة وخفض التكلفة مع التركيز علي الكفاءة البيئة.

عند تطبيق التكرير البيولوجي للطحالب, فان الدهون تنقسم الي نوعين: دهون صالحة للوقود الحيوي ودهون صالحة كمادة اوليه للمنتجات الكميائية في الصناعة و الاحماض الدهنية الضرورية لذلك. البروتين والكربوهيدرات الناتجة تكون صالحة للغذاء والاعلاف وبعض المنتجات الكميائية. اما بالنسبة للاكسجين الناتج فيتم تجميعه وحفظه في الحاويات المخصصه لذلك.  

الانتاج التجاري للطحالب الخضراء قائم علي استخدم تقنيات مختلفة للانتاج: استخدام الانابيب الشفافة او حاويات تسمي المفاعلات الحيوية او النظام المفتوح (مثل استخدام المجاري المائية) والاخيره تختص للانتاج الصناعي الكبير. وفي الاونة الاخيرة اصبح متبع النظام الجامع ما بين النظمين المغلق في المرحلة الاولي ثم النظام المفتوح لاحقا به.

وتعد مزارع انتاج الطحالب ذات منافع متعددة وتشمل:

استخدام المخلفات الصناعية كمدخلات انتاج ( مخلفات الحرق مثل ثاني اكسيد الكربون, مخلفات المياه الصناعية وايضا مخلفات محطات التحلية).

تنوع المخرجات الناتجة. ف.هناك مخرجات لانتاج طاقة حرارية ( ديزل حيوي, ميثان, ايثانول و هيدروجين). منتجات غير حرارية ( غذاء, اسمدة, اعلاف حيوانية وغيرها من المواد الكميائية).

ليس لها اي تاثير علي انتاج الغذاء ( فهي لا تستخدم اراضي زراعية ولا مياه نفية).

انتاج مواد دهنية تفوق الانتاج من المحاصيل الزراعية.

بعد مرحلة استخلاص الزيوت من الطحالب ، يمكن الاستفادة منها كاعلاف غنية بالبروتين وصالحة للاستخدام فى تغذية الحيوان والدواجن والأسماك. كما انها تدخل في صناعه الايثانول والميثان والسماد العضوي, وذلك نظرا لارتفاع نسبة الامينات الموجبة الي الفوسفات السالبة N:P ratio)), و حرق المتبقيات الناتجة تستخدم لتوليد الطاقه ( حرارية و كهربية).

ويتم انتاج الطحالب الخضراء حاليا كبديل للوقود علي نطاق واسع من اجل خفض تكاليف الانتاج. ايضا انتاج الغذاء الكميائي والوقود من الطحالب سوف يخضع للكثير من التحسينات والتطورات اللازمة حتي تصبح ذات مردود اقتصادي وبيئي مناسب.

 

ترجمه:

هبة احمد مسلم- دكتور الهندسة البيئية. باحث في الشئون البيئية. معهد الدراسات والبحوث البيئية– جامعه عين شمس.

مدرس بالاكاديمية العربية للعلوم والتكنولوجيا والنقل البحري-  مصر.

التحكم في البيئة والطاقه داخل المباني.

هندسة الميكانيكة- وكيل محرك دويتس الالماني بمصر. 

للتواصل عبر hebamosalam2000@gmail.com