Meet Yehia

Name: Yehia Eissa
Research interest: Water and Environmental Engineering
Email: yeissa@masdar.ac.ae

About me

I am Yehia Eissa, born on November 12, 1984, from Cairo, Egypt. I have studied Physics at the American University in Cairo, BSc 2006 and MSc 2008. Since 2006 I have worked in different jobs, including Lab assistant, Lab instructor, Project Coordinator at an Environmental NGO in Egypt (WESC) and Applied Science Researcher at and environmental consultancy in Egypt (Green Environment Consultants). Currently, I am in the Water and Environmental Engineering program at Masdar Institute, class of 2012.

In my free time I like to watch movies, exercise and play cards.

Yehia’s Work

Developing a tool to measure solar radiation over the UAE using SEVIRI data

Program: Water and Environmental Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Hosni Ghedira (Water and Environmental Engineering Program)
Co-advisor: Dr. Matteo Chiesa (Materials Science and Engineering Program)

Problem definition: Current existing models for measuring global horizontal and direct normal irradiances (GHI and DNI, respectively) from satellite data have proved to be ineffective in climates such as that existing in the UAE, where the climatological conditions are unique compared to other areas across the globe. Solar maps from currently existing models generally overestimate the irradiance that reaches the surface at the UAE.

Parameters, such as aerosols, tend to significantly affect the amount of irradiance reaching the surface. The UAE has a desert environment where airborne dust particles and sandstorms are common. Most of existing models do not account for such environmental conditions.

Motivation and relevance to Masdar/UAE: This problem does not discourage the implementation of solar power plants in such an environment, but more studies need to be carried out to understand its nature. That way in the case when a solar power plant is being designed, the design will be based on accurate values rather than ones that overestimate the reality.
UAE is currently shifting from an oil-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, with growing interest in renewables. Masdar, in particular, is investing greatly in renewable energy plants both nationally and internationally. Those include wind farms in England, Seychelles and the UAE. Masdar along with Total and Abengoa Solar are currently constructing the largest concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in the world, Shams 1, in Madinet Zayed, UAE having a capacity of 100 MW.
Therefore, this research could be of benefit when designing such solar plants in the UAE.

Objective: To develop a tool that has the capability to accurately measure the GHI and DNI at the surface of the UAE from satellite images.