According to the latest reporting by Petra and The Jordan Times, Jordan’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has commenced a study on the expansion of the national power grid so that the target of renewables comprising 50% of domestic electricity generation by 2030 will be met. Near the end of last year, the Jordanian government announced the 2030 target, which also represents a doubling of the share of renewables. The study on how to accommodate the additional renewable generation assets in the national power grid has just started this April.
The study will be carried out by a Belgian electricity system operator Elia Group and funded by the German government. Germany and Jordan established an “Energy Partnership” in 2019. This allows the two countries to hold intergovernmental meetings and industry exchanges pertaining to energy transition.
Saleh Kharabsheh (Al-Kharabsheh), Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, stated that the government is focusing on addressing the needs related to grid capacity expansion, adoption of renewables, adoption of “appropriate energy storage solution”, and reduction of electricity waste. Minister Kharabsheh also said that Jordan can leverage its existing geographical advantages to raise the share of renewables in the domestic generation mix from about 25% at this moment to 50% in 2030. According to the information provided by the US International Trade Association, the country has 316 sunny days per year, wind speeds of 7-8.5m/s, and vast tracts of desert land where utility-scale renewable energy projects can be built. Lastly, Minister noted that fostering domestic renewable sectors will bring about more investments and employment opportunities.
Jordan’s National Energy Strategy 2020-2030 aims to have domestic energy sources account for 48.5% of the country’s electric generation by 2030. These energy sources include renewables and fossil fuels. The potential of the Jordanian market is huge as the country is in a strategic location in the wider Middle East region.