JEDDAH: NOMADD is a King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) startup that aspires to contribute to the growing clean energy sector with its leading photovoltaics cleaning system based in Saudi Arabia.
According to Georg Eitelhuber, chief technical officer and cofounder of NOMADD, the company will enable more widespread use of solar photovoltaics in the country while conserving water resources and utilizing the full potential of solar energy.
NOMADD is a system designed, developed and tested in the Kingdom to suit local and regional conditions. “Wherever there is sun and wherever there is a desert, that is where NOMADD is and wills to be,” Eitelhuber told Arab News.
In desert climates, solar panels are often exposed to harsh weather conditions that may affect their function and require constant maintenance.
According to Eitelhuber, dust can prevent sunlight from reaching solar cells. Consequently, the panel may lose up to 60 percent of its capability to produce power during and after sandstorms.
Therefore, panels should be cleaned daily because if the dust is left for more than a day, dust particles from organics, dew, and sulfur adhere to the panels and damage them.
After extensive research, NOMADD founders concluded whatever they created to clean solar panels needed to be a waterless, automatic mechanical device. From those characteristics, they came up with the name NOMADD, which stands for: NO water, Mechanical Automated Dusting Device.
The name is also a tribute to nomadic peoples living in the desert. “In this part of the world, the very harsh environment makes moving through the desert constantly and regularly not easy, and the people who were able to do that for thousands of years are extremely tough. We believe that our product is part of that spirit of toughness in the desert,” said Eitelhuber.
The first idea of NOMADD goes back to 2010. “I was out in the field where they had a small solar area back then, and there was an official inauguration for this solar field … the panels were so dirty so we called the housekeeping department to come and clean them.”
Solar energy was still new in the region at that time. Eitelhuber found that no accurate solution had ever been thought about before. “I had the vision that there will be a large scale of solar panels in the Middle East, and it would be great to have a solution ready for it,” he said.
The NOMADD robots are equipped with specially designed brushes with drive motors and sophisticated control systems. The robots communicate wirelessly with a central hub that can be accessed from anywhere in the world, via any mobile device, which allows the client to monitor the robots and collect and analyze data.
NOMADD has six founders, and 15 people working full time for them worldwide, eight based at KAUST. The team is growing fast, and they hope to have 20 to 25 people by the end of the year.
Reliability of the product is everything for NOMADD’s team. Constant evaluation of the quality and expansion of the service is key to their success. Their biggest goal is to be recognized as the world’s leader in desert solar cleaning solutions.
Startup of the Week: NOMADD offers revolutionary solutions for the Saudi Arabia’s clean energy sector
Startup of the Week: NOMADD offers revolutionary solutions for the Saudi Arabia’s clean energy sector
- The NOMADD robots are equipped with specially designed brushes with drive motors and sophisticated control systems
Experimental farm in Al-Lith looks into future of Saudi Arabian agriculture
- Research initiative reflects strategic transformation
JEDDAH: An experimental farm in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Lith Governorate is one of the research initiatives reflecting the strategic transformation taking place in the Kingdom’s agricultural sector.
The farm uses highly efficient, sustainable production models that combine scientific research with commercial application, contributing to strengthening the country’s food security system and the sustainability of water resources.
Located in the Ghumaiqa Center on an area of about 10 hectares, the cutting-edge farm is a testing platform for modern agricultural technologies that tackle the challenge of water scarcity.
The farm includes developed open fields and modern greenhouses, supported by smart irrigation encompassing drip and sprinkler irrigation alongside surface and subsurface technologies.
All the systems operate via smart controls that enable the monitoring of water consumption and ensure improved efficiency, thereby achieving a balance between agricultural production and water conservation.
The farm also uses treated and diluted low-salinity seawater.
It aims to diversify agricultural water sources, reduce reliance on freshwater, and open new horizons for agriculture in coastal and semi-arid environments.
The project represents a promising investment opportunity in the field of smart agriculture, enabling the development of commercially scalable production models, particularly for high-value vegetables and fruits, while reducing operational costs associated with water and energy, enhancing the economic feasibility of future agricultural projects.
In addition, the project contributes to transferring and localizing agricultural expertise, supporting local food supply chains, and creating an attractive environment for agricultural investment.
This aligns with Sustainable Development Goals and enhances the efficiency of the private sector in adopting innovative agricultural solutions.
Yahya bin Abdulrahman Al-Mahabi, the director of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture office in Al-Lith Governorate, told the Saudi Press Agency that the project represented the future of agriculture in the Kingdom.
He explained that the vision was based on investing in technology, enhancing the return on water per unit, and integrating scientific research with investment opportunities.
Al-Mahabi spoke of the experimental farm as a modern, scalable and replicable model applicable in several regions of the Kingdom, particularly in coastal environments.
Al-Mahabi highlighted the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s commitment to supporting distinctive projects that contributed to achieving food security while developing rural areas and enhancing agricultural production efficiency, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
