UAE Solar System Makes Power, Water, and Hydrogen at Once

Imagine a single solar installation that powers your home, fills your tap with fresh water, and fuels your car all at the same time.

Dr. Uday Kumar Nutakki at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah has turned that vision into reality. His team of seven researchers from nine universities created an integrated solar system that generates three essential resources from one compact setup.

The innovation centers on concentrated solar power, but with a clever twist. Instead of letting excess heat escape like traditional solar plants do, this system captures and reuses it at every step.

The design works through three connected power cycles that squeeze energy from sunlight at different temperatures. That recovered heat then powers a desalination unit for drinking water and an electrolyzer that splits water into green hydrogen fuel.

Under real-world testing, the results were impressive. The system delivered 2.05 megawatts of electricity to the grid, produced 125.3 kilograms of freshwater per second, and generated 15.52 kilograms of green hydrogen every hour.

The team tested it through different seasons and weather conditions too. Performance stayed stable even when solar intensity changed, proving the system could handle real urban demands.

The Ripple Effect

For Middle Eastern cities blessed with sunshine but starved for water, this changes everything. The UAE and neighboring countries pour enormous resources into desalination plants and energy infrastructure as separate challenges.

This integrated approach tackles both problems with one installation. Cities could reduce fossil fuel dependence while securing water supplies, cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the process.

The timing matters too. As countries race toward clean energy targets, solar power needs to do more than just generate electricity during sunny hours.

By adding hydrogen production to the mix, excess solar energy gets stored as fuel instead of wasted. That hydrogen can power vehicles, run industrial processes, or be converted back to electricity when the sun sets.

Dr. Nutakki sees the bigger picture clearly. "We are proposing a practical pathway toward sustainable and resilient urban infrastructure," he explained.

The research, published in Process Safety and Environmental Protection, addresses common obstacles that have slowed solar thermal adoption. High costs and technical complexity often discourage large projects, but combining three outputs from one system improves the economic equation significantly.

Professor Khalid Hussain, AURAK's Provost, called the work globally relevant innovation that matches the university's mission.

Desert cities worldwide could soon follow Ras Al Khaimah's lead, turning their greatest challenge into their biggest advantage.