The future is being created in the middle of the desert of Abu Dhabi. Here, in the territory of one of the world's largest oil-producing nations, the first-ever CO²-neutral eco-city has been slowly rising out of the desert sand since February 2008. It is called MASDAR – which means ‘spring’ in Arabic – and the first inhabitants will be moving in as early as 2016. Behind this city of the future lies a great vision, combined with an ambitious goal: to prove that it is possible to enjoy our high, modern quality of life without harming the environment. A standard reached without emitting pollutants and creating waste, and powered by energy gained 100% from regenerative resources.

"Does it sound as if the region is shooting itself in the foot? Not at all! It's the vision of Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan – and who should know better than him that the era of cheap oil is over and that only economies with a good energy mix will survive," says Bertrand Piccard, who visited the MASDAR building site together with André Borschberg. The two Solar Impulse initiators returned from the Orient "full of enthusiasm" for the city of the future and its approaches to clean energy, which have the potential to catch on and set new standards, just as their own pioneering project is intended to be a beacon for clean mobility, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies.

Sheikh Mohamed of the United Arab Emirates' Royal Family, who invited the pioneers to explain all the aspects of the project supported by Deutsche Bank in a private audience, was certainly impressed. As were the participants at this year's World Future Energy Summit to whom Piccard and Borschberg presented the Solar Impulse project.