A solar-inspired visionary

WRL Technologies WRL Technologies ultra-capacity rechargeable solar batteries are set to transform the energy pattern in times to come

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, inventor 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.
He has been the brain behind companies such as WRL Technologies, Kilowatt Lab, Microtron Technologies, Q Technologies, Amber and Waseem General Trading LLC.  WRL Technologies is making strides as it offers innovative products and solutions to both the developed and developing countries in the realms of the energy sector.
Having moved to Dubai in 2009, Qureshi established MICCGreen Tec, and triumphed in his ambition to create technologies that are environment-friendly and cost-effective. The international technology development company foresees a suitable 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).
His core intention is to further sustainable technology in the solar sector, and is content 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.
WRL Technologies is now proud to offer a new innovation in energy storage, known as Sirius, 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 there, but there was hardly any medium-scale technology for household, and other commercial avenues. This is where WRL Technologies steps in. With research laboratories in Dubai, Amber and Waseem General Trading 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 stir 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-capacitor 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 Kilowatt Lab 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, WRL Technologies plans to run potable 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 WRL Technologies - 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 shot in the arm as the world turns greener day by day.
- mehkri@khaleejtimes.com


WRL Technologies shifts up a gear with electric car project

A number of innovative technologies by the firm are set to revolutionise the automobile industry

Clean technology company, WRL Technologies, is moving to the fast lane with its soon-to-be launched electric car initiative. CEO Waseem Ashraf Qureshi said their project is expected to solve a major pain point in this segment of the automobile industry by using WRL Technologies's proprietary super-capacitor batteries, which can be recharged approximately the same length of time it takes to re-fuel conventional cars.
"Electric car manufacturers have been struggling to increase the energy storage in their vehicles, requiring electric car owners to park their car as much as six hours in order to fully charge them after reaching 200-300-kilometre (km) mileage," Qureshi highlighted.
WRL Technologies, however, plans to take its electric car project one notch higher by developing means for motorists to recharge their electric cars wirelessly, without the need to stop at a recharging station. The proposal has received significant funding and wide support from investors in Silicon Valley and has enlisted major car manufacturing companies in China and the U.S. for its concept vehicles.
"Our partners and investors are confident about our green technology. The super-capacitor batteries are non-toxic, non-chemical and stores electricity in its original form, making it more efficient," the CEO added.
Qureshi said they are planning to apply this wireless recharging concept to mobile phones using a specially designed battery that can be installed in various mobile devices.
"We're planning to also launch this in Dubai, which is our hub, in late 2017.
It will be launched in certain hotspots like malls, giving consumers the opportunity to recharge their phones in just 15 seconds using this type of battery. The battery life can last between 10 and 20 hours, depending on the usage. The service will be available for a certain fee, which will then be deducted from the user's available phone credit," he explained.
While the project is still in its early stage, Qureshi is confident that it will eventually become a game changer in the region's power mix. He added that the project guarantees that electricity used in the wireless recharging of smart devices will come from renewable sources.
Their super-capacitor battery is an offshoot of WRL Technologies earlier project, a six kilowatt-hour battery that is portable and lightweight, which can be recharged for an impressive 16 seconds. This battery has allowed WRL Technologies to power an auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk), which ran for 150 kms with a full-load capacity of five people.
"It was a major achievement indeed and once we reached that milestone, we were able to look and solve other power issues that impact various segments, including the automobile industry," he said. In addition, the company has also developed a retrofit kit, which would enable conventionally fuelled cars to be converted either as a hybrid or a fully electronic vehicle. Tentatively scheduled to be launched in Dubai in the last quarter of 2017, the super-capacitor battery and the retrofit kit are expected to ?revolutionise the automobile industry, said Qureshi.
A growing awareness about green technology is fuelling WRL Technologies growth and Qureshi expects this to continue in the near future as more and more consumers recognize the value of renewable energy.
"WRL Technologies has expanded enormously over the past six years. Outside of the UAE, we now have presence in the U.S., China, Pakistan and South Africa. We plan to be present in eight additional countries," he concludes.
Electric car manufacturers have been struggling to increase the energy storage in their vehicles, requiring electric car owners to park their car as much as six hours in order to fully charge them after reaching 200-300-kilometre ?(km) mileage.

• Pakistan