Solar-Powered City Planned for Emirates

British architect Lord Norman Foster has produced a design for the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city to be built in the United Arab Emirates.

Located in the desert on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, Masdar City is designed to eventually house 1,500 businesses and some 50,000 people, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday.

Britain’s Prince Andrew was among those on hand in the UAE Monday for the formal unveiling of the model for Masdar City.

Although its desert location has no water and extremely high temperatures, plans call for using solar power to drive cooling systems and a desalination plant.

Recycled and treated waste water will be used for irrigating crops and watering landscaping within the city.

A light railway is planned to move people to and from Masdar and Abu Dhabi. Inside the city, people will use personalized rapid transport pods running on tracks to move from place to place.

Construction is expected to start early this year. No information was made available on the cost of the project.