News About Masdar
• Website
• Failed bid to create carbon neutral, zero-waste city
• Wants to test and commercialize sustainable energy and technologies
• Site of a science & technology university and International Renewable Energy Agency
• Cancelled plan for citywide PRT network
• "Human Rights in the UAE"
11/5/2013: This Archive is Now Closed to Further Updates
"Masdar City: Role model for a sustainable future" 11-4-2013
Siemens HQ - first building without undercroft. 10-11-2013
No PRT means robocars instead, loss of narrow pedestrian-only streets.
Starting from scratch The Economist 9-7-2013
Masdar on BBC's Wild Arabia 3-9-2013
It should be noted the program does not mention cancelation of the citywide undercroft which the PRT runs inside.
London Array windfarm produces first power 10-29-2012
Robert Llewellyn (Red Dwarf ) visits with his program Fully Charged: 1, 2 9-26-2012
Emirates crackdown on democracy movement. At least 50 reformers arrested, some stripped of citizenship. Repression is not sustainable. -Ed. 8-3-2012
Editor's blog: Validation of our views on Masdar PRT plan error 6-29-2012
Article broadly about sustainable energy technology conflates PRT with autonomous cars 6-21-2012 Writer ought to have studied ATRA definition of PRT; exclusive guideway network means PRT not affected by nonautonomous traffic.
The Gadget Show's Pollyanna Woodward visits 5-21-2012
Doing it wrong: Masdar carbon-capture research - CO2 would be used in oil recovery. 5-9-2012
Cost of placing a PRT prototype system inside a specially constructed sublevel of an experimental city: Masdar visitor center director says, anecdotally, $8 million ($1 mil x the 8 vehicles cited). Including the stations, this is not bad for an approx. 0.57 mile system. 3-28-2012
Renewables deal signed with Scotland 1-9-2012
One year since launch of Masdar PRT 12-1-2011
Abu Dhabi is reviewing Masdar, has struggled to attract tenants; centralizing process used by state-owned companies to issue bonds. 5-23-2011
• The Nation: Erik Prince no Indiana Jones 5-16-2011
• Video: Democracy Now report | Mobile 6-17-2010
PRT operated over-capacity at the first public Market Day; 3600 passengers, 99.4% availability. 5-10-2011
Guardian writer's Thumbs Down to Masdar PRT: "A modern mirage" 5-10-2011
Citywide PRT at Masdar called "unsuitable": Masdar "aims to help put others in the shade". Representatives of Foster+Partners, UITP and Dubai RTA are mentioned in story 4-8-2011
First of 177 foundations for London offshore array installed 3-8-2011
Editor's Blog: Fate of Masdar PRT not yet final 3-3-2011
Biofuels from Seawater Agriculture possible without competing for fresh water or land 1-22-2011
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Mobile version | Also: • Treehugger on the PRT • Ucilia Wang at Masdar • Time • Treehugger: Project as shaky as the oil-based economy and society from which it sprang |
Gunther and The Australian both trace scaleback of the Masdar PRT network to cancelation of the citywide podium (platform), containing the 'undercroft,' due to the global financial crisis. Since the PRT runs inside the undercroft, the undercroft is effectively the PRT guideway. Masdar's designers were unwittingly responsible for the most expensive PRT guideway ever planned.
Mitsubishi electric car fleet to be piloted. The UAE news agency reports the pilot will "test the feasibility of EV technology as a point-to-point transportation solution for Masdar City." "Point-to-point" confirms Masdar is willing to sacrifice the original goal of having all surface streets carless for walkability, and narrow to provide shade (i.e. modeled on traditional mideast architecture). 1-15-2011
Mobile version
Mobile version
"World's Most Futuristic City" -CNN, Quest Means Business. 12-6-2010
Flickr photostream coverage: EPFL Organicités Studios; Trevor.Patt; Mark Meagher
Formal opening of Masdar Institute campus. Too bad the Masdar PRT will only ever be a 10-pod pilot project. 11-24-2010
More transparent energy goals 11-22-2010
MIST Phase II started 11-12-2010
"It is hugely impressive. It's like looking at a city from the future."
"It is hugely impressive. It's like looking at a city from the future."
"Building green in Abu Dhabi's desert" (Al Jazeera) 10-15-2010
Editor's Blog: It's official- Masdar won't be car-free 10-10-2010
