Souf Center Project Wins 2026 Innovative Energy Project Award - Sarmad

The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) announced that the “Sof” Center project, one of the flagship initiatives supported by the foundation, has won the “2026 Innovative Energy Project of the Year” award for the Middle East and North Africa region, presented by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), a global non-profit professional organization.

In a press release issued on Wednesday, the foundation stated that the award was accepted by Eng. Dina Al-Naqib, Director of the Research Activation and Technology Department at KFAS, and Sheikhah Bibi Duaij Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Sadu Artisans Association, during the regional awards ceremony held in Orlando, Florida, USA.

The foundation added that this recognition honors the project’s excellence in deploying innovative and sustainable energy solutions, reflecting the “Sof” Center’s success as a model that integrates scientific research, sustainability, and practical application.

It explained that the project leverages clean energy solutions, water recycling, and circular economy principles to process and utilize local wool, thereby transforming a local resource into a product with economic and environmental value.

The foundation noted that the project idea was initiated by the Sadu Artisans Association, while KFAS funded and supported the associated scientific research, which was implemented by the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) in collaboration with a livestock transport and trading company.

The foundation highlighted that the project exemplifies the integration of roles among national entities in transforming ideas into practical and sustainable solutions.

It emphasized that this achievement aligns with the foundation’s strategy of supporting applied research, development, and innovation, and enhancing the use of science and technology to address priority challenges, thereby contributing to sustainable economic, environmental, and social impact.

The foundation pointed out that the “Sof” Center’s receipt of this regional award recognizes the joint national efforts that contributed to the project’s development, and underscores the capacity of research- and innovation-based projects to deliver impactful, practical solutions, while strengthening the regional presence of innovative Kuwaiti projects.

It is worth noting that the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) awards honor outstanding projects, institutions, and specialists in the fields of energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability. The “Sof” Center project was selected to receive the “2026 Innovative Energy Project of the Year” award for the Middle East and North Africa region, as part of the AEE’s 2026 regional awards.