German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and a delegation of key German business leaders and officials visited Masdar on May 25, 2010 to be briefed on the status of numerous projects, with particular focus on those in partnership with German companies.
Masdar is collaborating with several German companies such as E.ON, BASF, Bayer, Deutsche Bank, MAN Schüco, as well as research institutions such as RWTH Aachen and Fraunhofer. It also has a direct investment in Germany with Masdar PV, a solar thin-film module manufacturing facility in Ichterhausen, Thuringia.
Dr. Merkel expressed her interest in Masdar’s work and praised its strong binding ties with Germany. She commended the German companies involved with making the Masdar vision a reality.
The discussions focused on several ambitious projects currently underway, most notably the development of Masdar City of which the Institute is the first building that will be completed. They outlined how these projects are bringing the Masdar vision to life and show that Masdar has extended much farther in ambition and innovation than any other institution on a similar path.
Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber stated, “We are honoured to host Chancellor Merkel as Masdar and to show her the new Masdar Institute building. Germany is a leading player in the renewable energy sector and we are pleased to be able to share with the Chancellor Abu Dhabi’s vision and ambitions in this field as being implemented through the Masdar initiative. Masdar believes in strong international partnerships and today’s event at the Masdar Institute building paid homage to the many German companies and individuals who have helped to make the Masdar vision a reality.”
