What would a carbon free city look like to you? Well, if you see no cars and a large amount of wind turbines and solar panels, you’re starting to get warm. Creating a carbon free city requires sacrifice and innovative development, which is why one doesn’t exist yet. However, efforts are currently being made to build the first carbon neutral city.
This historical city will be built in Abu Dhabi, and this location has one of the most abundant oil supplies in the world. The walled city will be called Masdar and will use wind and solar energy to sustain residents’ lifestyle. Since cars will be banned, they hope to reduce future health expenses resulting from poor air quality. In addition to living carbon neutral, they will also be designating areas to produce eco-friendly products.
So why is this a good place to experiment? Abu Dhabi has an extreme climate with temperatures reaching 104 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you can also ski all year round. This climate will be a challenge, and if the city is successful, it will serve as a role model for other cities. Although other places might not be able to ban cars, they can at least work toward that goal or find ways to offset these emissions. The first phase of the city is planned to open in 2010, and construction recently began in January. The goal of the city is to produce more energy than it uses.
Because the plans have been strategically laid out, the city will be able to reach a 75 percent reduction in energy requirements. Inside the city, buildings will be created with futuristic designs, so Masdar will be unique in more ways than one.
Sounds nice for the environment, but how will everyone get around? Since the city will be built on a platform, underneath will contain the main source of transportation: light rail. This rail will take people from the city to the airport or to the city’s downtown area. Also, people will be able to drive electric cars within the city.
A carbon free city is setting the bar pretty high. However, if Masdar ends up being successful, the world will have a brighter and more eco-friendly future to look forward to.