Australian renewable energy business Redback Technologies has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Duserve Facilities Management (Duserve FM) to collaborate on a pilot project trialling Redback’s solar solutions in the United Arab Emirates.

The new partnership will see Redback Technologies deploy its solutions in 20 commercial and 20 residential properties in Dubai South, an emerging metropolitan area expected to have a population of one million people.

Redback will be responsible for the energy management and monitoring during the 12-month pilot project, providing real-time data and insights into energy usage for those properties.

Redback’s energy management platform uses IoT technologies to distribute excess energy to smart appliances or battery storage, and using machine learning is capable of learning from user habits, and also manage energy usage depending on weather conditions.

The rollout for this project will commence on June 1 this year, and Redback expects to bolster its ranks to the tune of 35 developers to provide direct support for the project.

The company will also send a project manager to Dubai South to manage the project, and will provide installation training and instruction to Duserve FM electrical engineers to conduct the installation.

On successful completion of the pilot program, the two parties will explore a further commercial agreement to exclusively distribute Redback’s hardware and software solutions throughout the United Arab Emirates, the rest of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Redback Technologies’ founder and managing director Philip Livingston said this project marks the first step for global expansion, and is looking forward to showcase Australian innovation in the region.

“Being selected to work with Duserve FM gives us the opportunity to demonstrate we are a leader of smart energy management solutions on a global scale, allowing us to not only explore these technologies within Dubai South and the UAE but also the MENA region,” he said in a statement.

This collaboration is a direct result of a trade mission to the UAE held last year by Trade and Investment Queensland, the state government’s global business agency that assists exporters in breaking into emerging and established markets.

Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Middle East, Hon. Donna Massie hopes that this partnership between Redback and Duserve FM helps to build a strong partnership with the region.

“This deal with Duserve FM, and to a larger extent Dubai South, positions Australian businesses as leaders in the renewable energy industry and highlights the homegrown innovation we have,” she said.

“We are focused on showcasing Queensland products and services on a global stage to further support our local economy.”