Heriot-Watt University has launched a Dubai Solar Test Site for companies in the UK and beyond. The site is located on the university’s campus in Dubai and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for testing solar energy technologies. The test site is an extension of a parallel facility set up by Professor O’Donovan in Edinburgh, where companies are able to test their technologies in typical UK weather conditions.

The Dubai Solar Test Site is designed to help companies accelerate the development and commercialization of their solar energy technologies. The site offers a variety of testing facilities, including:

• A 100 kW solar simulator that can simulate the sun’s rays at different intensities and angles
• A thermal chamber that can simulate different climatic conditions
• A wind tunnel that can test the performance of solar panels in windy conditions
• A water tank that can test the performance of solar water heaters

The test site is also linked to a data centre on the top floor of the University’s campus, which will analyse live data from the facility against theoretical models, to help engineers predict and improve the performance of their technologies.

The Dubai Solar Test Site is a valuable resource for companies in the UK and beyond who are developing solar energy technologies. The site provides a safe and controlled environment where companies can test their technologies under a variety of conditions. This can help them to improve the performance and reliability of their technologies, and to bring them to market more quickly.

The test site is also expected to boost research and development in the field of solar energy. The data collected from the site will be used to improve our understanding of solar energy technologies, and to develop new and more efficient technologies.

The Dubai Solar Test Site is a significant investment by Heriot-Watt University in the future of solar energy. The site is a testament to the university’s commitment to research and innovation in this field. It is also a sign of the growing importance of solar energy in the UAE and the wider region.