Siemens and Kuwait University are partnering to establish a Distributed Energy Systems (DES) Smart Lab, the first of its kind in the Gulf Cooperation Council region.
The lab will reportedly promote the exploration and development of “low-carbon energy systems” and foster innovation in new smart energy technologies and services.
The lab also includes electric vehicle chargers, solar panels, a generator and load sets for lab purposes, and equipment for teaching and research in the field of electric drives.
It was shared that these features enable the study of renewable energy sources and microgrids and provide potential control software for the entire Kuwait University campus.
The facility, which integrates Siemens Grid Software technologies, is set to open in the second half of 2025.
According to Siemens, these technologies form part of Siemens Xcelerator, an open digital business platform and curated portfolio of connected hardware and software, providing an ecosystem of partners and an extensive marketplace.
“Renewable energy resources and smart grids are vital for todays, and future, energy systems,” commented Sabine Erlinghagen, CEO of Grid Software at Siemens.
“We’re proud to contribute to building a knowledge-based economy with our DES Smart Lab in Kuwait. This lighthouse project supports the country in becoming a regional leader in innovative smart energy technologies.”
Dr. Mishari Al Harbi., Acting President of Kuwait University, said that the collaboration between academia and industry will “aid Kuwait’s development” and enable its students to help realise Kuwait Vision 2035.