emirates7 - -Instead of using solar energy solely to generate electricity, the system captures and reuses heat that would normally be lost
Aresearcher at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah has presented a breakthrough solar-powered system that can generate electricity, green hydrogen, and freshwater simultaneously.
Dr. Uday Kumar Nutakki, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah AURAK, revealed the innovative integrated energy solution as part of a joint research project conducted by an international team of 7 researchers from 9 universities.
The study, published in the internationally recognised journal Process Safety and Environmental Protection, introduces a multi-generation system designed to better utilise solar energy while reducing the waste typically seen in conventional power systems.
One system, three essential resources
At the heart of the innovation is concentrated solar power (CSP). Instead of using solar energy solely to generate electricity, the system captures and reuses heat that would normally be lost.
The design centres on a solar tower-driven Brayton cycle, supported by two additional bottoming power cycles: a steam Rankine cycle and an Organic Rankine cycle. The recovered thermal energy is then used to power a reverse-osmosis desalination unit for freshwater production and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser to produce green hydrogen.
In simple terms, the system allows a single solar-driven setup to simultaneously deliver clean power, drinking water, and hydrogen fuel within a compact structure.
By cascading energy flows and recovering waste heat, the model maximises overall efficiency and significantly reduces energy losses.
Strong performance under real conditions
Under tested operating conditions, the system demonstrated promising results. It delivered approximately 2.05 megawatts to the grid, produced around 125.3 kilograms per second of freshwater, and generated 15.52 kilograms per hour of green hydrogen.
The overall energy efficiency reached 19.52 per cent, a strong indicator of technical feasibility for real-world urban deployment.
Importantly, the system was also evaluated under seasonal and dynamic operating conditions, showing resilience and stable performance despite changes in climate and solar intensity.
Addressing regional challenges
Professor Khalid Hussain, Provost of AURAK, described the research as aligned with the university’s commitment to impactful, globally relevant innovation.
Dr. Nutakki highlighted the broader vision behind the project.
“Our work demonstrates that concentrated solar energy, when intelligently integrated with cascading power cycles and waste-heat recovery, can go beyond merely generating electricity,” he said. “By simultaneously producing clean power, freshwater, and green hydrogen, we are proposing a practical pathway toward sustainable and resilient urban infrastructure.”
While solar energy is abundant and environmentally sustainable, large-scale solar thermal deployment has often faced hurdles such as high upfront costs, technical complexity, and challenges with intermittency.
This integrated model addresses those gaps by combining advanced thermal cycles with desalination and hydrogen production into one coordinated framework.
A model for the Middle East?
For regions like the Middle East, where solar irradiance is high, and water scarcity remains a pressing issue, such integrated systems could reshape how cities approach energy and water security.
By reducing reliance on fossil fuels, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and maximising solar utilisation, the proposed solution offers a forward-looking approach to climate resilience.
As countries accelerate clean energy transitions, innovations like this from Ras Al Khaimah how solar power could move beyond rooftops and into fully integrated urban infrastructure delivering power, water, and fuel from a single sustainable source.
Aresearcher at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah has presented a breakthrough solar-powered system that can generate electricity, green hydrogen, and freshwater simultaneously.
Dr. Uday Kumar Nutakki, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah AURAK, revealed the innovative integrated energy solution as part of a joint research project conducted by an international team of 7 researchers from 9 universities.
The study, published in the internationally recognised journal Process Safety and Environmental Protection, introduces a multi-generation system designed to better utilise solar energy while reducing the waste typically seen in conventional power systems.
One system, three essential resources
At the heart of the innovation is concentrated solar power (CSP). Instead of using solar energy solely to generate electricity, the system captures and reuses heat that would normally be lost.
The design centres on a solar tower-driven Brayton cycle, supported by two additional bottoming power cycles: a steam Rankine cycle and an Organic Rankine cycle. The recovered thermal energy is then used to power a reverse-osmosis desalination unit for freshwater production and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser to produce green hydrogen.
In simple terms, the system allows a single solar-driven setup to simultaneously deliver clean power, drinking water, and hydrogen fuel within a compact structure.
By cascading energy flows and recovering waste heat, the model maximises overall efficiency and significantly reduces energy losses.
Strong performance under real conditions
Under tested operating conditions, the system demonstrated promising results. It delivered approximately 2.05 megawatts to the grid, produced around 125.3 kilograms per second of freshwater, and generated 15.52 kilograms per hour of green hydrogen.
The overall energy efficiency reached 19.52 per cent, a strong indicator of technical feasibility for real-world urban deployment.
Importantly, the system was also evaluated under seasonal and dynamic operating conditions, showing resilience and stable performance despite changes in climate and solar intensity.
Addressing regional challenges
Professor Khalid Hussain, Provost of AURAK, described the research as aligned with the university’s commitment to impactful, globally relevant innovation.
Dr. Nutakki highlighted the broader vision behind the project.
“Our work demonstrates that concentrated solar energy, when intelligently integrated with cascading power cycles and waste-heat recovery, can go beyond merely generating electricity,” he said. “By simultaneously producing clean power, freshwater, and green hydrogen, we are proposing a practical pathway toward sustainable and resilient urban infrastructure.”
While solar energy is abundant and environmentally sustainable, large-scale solar thermal deployment has often faced hurdles such as high upfront costs, technical complexity, and challenges with intermittency.
This integrated model addresses those gaps by combining advanced thermal cycles with desalination and hydrogen production into one coordinated framework.
A model for the Middle East?
For regions like the Middle East, where solar irradiance is high, and water scarcity remains a pressing issue, such integrated systems could reshape how cities approach energy and water security.
By reducing reliance on fossil fuels, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and maximising solar utilisation, the proposed solution offers a forward-looking approach to climate resilience.
As countries accelerate clean energy transitions, innovations like this from Ras Al Khaimah how solar power could move beyond rooftops and into fully integrated urban infrastructure delivering power, water, and fuel from a single sustainable source.
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