A solar-inspired visionary

It won't be an exaggeration to say that Waseem Ashraf Qureshi is the rising sun in the solar-powered tech domain. He has ideas that are unique, interpretative and competitive when put to test. He not only has a brilliant scientific mind, but also the charms of a successful entrepreneur and dealmaker. He purports a simple vision: to help science go green, and do away with the energy crisis per se.   
Qureshi is an electronics engineer, and is gearing up to usher in a revolution in solar-powered solutions. His first accomplishment was introducing UPS - a battery-based uninterrupted power supply system - in Pakistan in 1984 that transformed the landscape in an energy-starved country. A graduate from Lahore, Qureshi went on to win the presidential award for excellence at the tender age of 15. Since then, there has been no looking back for him in his industrious career.
Microtron Technologies, also known as MICCGreenTec, is his brainchild. It is an international technology development company that foresees a sustainable alternative for energy solutions with a focus on solar energy. Headquartered in Washington D.C. (U.S.), it has research labs in Dubai, and manufacturing facilities in Guangzhou (China). MICCGreenTec is making strides as it offers innovative products and solutions to both developed and developing countries in the realms of the energy sector.
Having moved to Dubai in 2009, Qureshi established MICCGreenTec, and triumphed in his ambition to create technologies that are environment-friendly and cost-effective. His off-grid projects are a case in point. His core intention is to further sustainable technology in the solar sector, and is confident to achieve that objective in the sunshine environs of the UAE. He successfully developed a PV-based control and BOS standalone device, Monitored Inverter Converter and Charger (MICC), which is considered to be a new and innovative paradigm for PV-based solar systems. The very concept of MICC is a breakthrough in itself. It eliminates shortcomings in existing methodologies, and economically generates and delivers solar power with or without the support of grid or other energy sources. The UAE currently has the largest installed base and is a resounding success. 
MICCGreenTec is now proud to offer a new innovation in energy storage, known as ESD 2.0, a battery that can be charged in 16 to 30 seconds and features an extraordinary lifecycle. He says small gadgets relating to solar energy were always present, but there was hardly any medium-scale technology for household, and other commercial avenues. This is where MICCGreenTec steps in. With research laboratories in Dubai, MICCGreenTec designs and develops technologies, and then distributes it. "In the process of marketing our innovation, we get major shares for our production. We brand them with other concerns and collaborate with market icons in the technology realms," Qureshi remarked.
The proposed battery is set to bring in a revolution of sorts. Its ultra capacitors are capable of more than 10 times the power density and over 1,000 times the lifecycle compared to lithium-ion battery technology. The technology is apt for e-mobility products as well as for consumer electronics. The most stunning aspect of this innovation is that its optimal lifespan is of 45 years. These ultra-capacity battery systems do not degrade when completely discharged, overcharged or kept at 100 per cent capacity. This helps reduce the cost of recharging.
The solar-powered solutions of MICCGreenTec are for home consumption, commercial, as well as industrial usages. The Green Tuk Tuk, as well as solar-powered bikes and cars, water pumps and Peltier-based air-conditioners are some of its iconic inventions. 
With accessible technology at an affordable cost, MICCGreenTec plans to run portable energy trucks that could instantly help recharge solar-related gadgets and batteries. Applicable to gas cylinders that are delivered to homes, this concept will revolutionise the dissemination of solar energy to consumers across the board. Depending on usage, the storage capacity could last from 48 hours to a week or a month. The project will be on its wheels shortly. 
Qureshi says it is cost-effective and competitive with costs lower than that incurred by lithium batteries. The parameters are quite clear for MICCGreenTec - gradually eliminate dependence on fossil fuels and let a new era of power generation from solar energy take root. 
According to him, around 5 to 7 per cent of the energy market in Pakistan alone will be based on solar by the year 2020. It is 50 per cent lower in cost compared to gas and 70 per cent lower than petrol. Moreover, wirelessly charged technology is also on the anvil, which will be another accomplishment as the world turns greener day by day.
- mehkri@khaleejtimes.com