Hitachi and Qatar University Enter Into Collaboration Agreement

TOKYO (6 November 2014)—Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Plant Qatar L.L.C., a joint venture company established by Hitachi and a local firm in Qatar, and Qatar University, a national university of Qatar, announced that a signing ceremony was held to enter into a comprehensive industry-university collaboration agreement concerning environmental and energy efficiency technologies in the infrastructure systems field. Under this agreement, the three parties agreed to collaborate on the review and selection of research and development (R&D) themes concerning advanced technologies that are suited to the environment and the needs of the Middle East region, including Qatar, over the next three years. The three parties will successively conduct technology development, field trials and other activities based on the selected R&D themes in order to put the resulting technologies into use as early as possible in the Middle East. As the first activity, the parties plan to initiate collaborative R&D concerning energy-efficient air conditioning system technology from the beginning of 2015. Guided by the Qatar National Vision 2030, Qatar is seeking to spur further economic development and improve the country's standards of living in the course of achieving a sustainable society. With its plans to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022, infrastructure investment in the country is expected to increase. Qatar has extensive plans for new construction projects, such as football stadiums, hotels and railways. The development of these projects has been accompanied by a growing influx of foreign migrant workers, resulting in a rapid increase in demand for power and water. At present, Qatar has set national targets of reducing power consumption and water consumption per person by 20 and 35 percent, respectively, by 2016 compared with 2011 levels. To solve these energy-related issues, Hitachi, Hitachi Plant Qatar and Qatar University will begin reviewing and selecting joint R&D themes primarily in three fields: energy-efficient air conditioning, water treatment and recycling, and energy efficient management. The framework of this agreement also encompasses the interaction and exchanges of people. Internship students from Qatar University and Hitachi engineers will be dispatched to one another's sites to promote technology exchanges and the development of human resources. The first activity will be to collaborate on R&D in energy-efficient air conditioning system technology. Qatar is currently planning to build a large number of new facilities, including buildings, hotels, hospitals and football stadiums, in addition to vegetable cultivation facilities to improve the country's food self-sufficiency rate. These facilities will require a vast amount of electrical energy to operate air conditioning systems, making it imperative to evenly distribute energy efficiency measures and power consumption. To solve these issues, Hitachi, Hitachi Plant Qatar and Qatar University plan to jointly develop technologies that are suited to the features of the environment in the Middle East region and to each target facility, and to put these technologies into actual use. Kunizo Sakai, vice president and executive officer, president and CEO of Infrastructure Systems Company, Hitachi, said, "Hitachi is honored to enter into this comprehensive industry-university collaboration agreement with Qatar University, which is conducting a host of innovative initiatives in Qatar. Besides making effective use of the joint research achievements, we intend to demonstrate the collective capabilities of the Hitachi Group in order to develop business activities closely tied to customers and the region as ‘One Hitachi.’ In doing so, we aim to contribute to the development of Qatar and the larger Middle East region." Professor Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad, president, Qatar University, said, "Qatar University is pleased to work with Hitachi through this collaboration on contributing to energy efficiency and water conservation strategies in Qatar. The partnership will serve a wide range of ongoing and planned development projects in Qatar, and as such is very much in line with QU's commitment to addressing national priorities while offering opportunities for students to gain knowledge, experience and skills that empower them to drive the country's development and progress in the future." Looking ahead, Hitachi, Hitachi Plant Qatar and Qatar University will pursue cutting-edge technology development that is attuned to Qatar and the larger Middle East region. Through these efforts, they will seek to rise above environmental and energy efficiency challenges and contribute to infrastructure development.