Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences Announces the Win of the SOUF Center Project for the 2026 Innovative Energy Project Award
The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) announced that the Souf Center project, one of the pioneering initiatives supported by the foundation, has won the “Innovative Energy Project of the Year 2026” award for the Middle East and North Africa region, granted 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-Naqeeb, Director of the Research and Technology Activation Department at KFAS, and Sheikh Bibi Duaij Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Chairperson 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 Souf Center’s success as a model that integrates scientific research, sustainability, and practical application.
The project leverages clean energy solutions, water recycling, and circular economy principles to process local wool and utilize it effectively, thereby transforming a local resource into a product with economic and environmental value.
The initiative was launched by the Sadu Artisans Association, while KFAS funded, supported, and facilitated the scientific research related to the project. The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) implemented the project 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 KFAS’s strategic direction 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 noted that the Souf 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-based and innovation-driven projects to deliver practical, impactful solutions, while strengthening the regional presence of innovative Kuwaiti initiatives.
The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) awards honor outstanding projects, institutions, and professionals in the fields of energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability. The Souf Center project was selected to receive the “Innovative Energy Project of the Year 2026” award for the Middle East and North Africa region as part of the AEE’s 2026 regional awards.
