Saturday, Oct 22, 2016

Amman, Jordan: Abu Dhabi-based Masdar has signed an agreement to build a 200-megawatt solar plant in Jordan.

The Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA) for the 200-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) plant was signed on Saturday by Mohammad Al Ramahi, chief executive officer of Masdar, and Abdul Fattah Daradkeh, chief executive officer of National Electric Power Company, Jordan’s state electricity provider, at a ceremony in Amman attended by Jordan Prime Minister Dr Hani Al Mulqi.

“The solar power plant will raise the international profile of Jordan as a key destination for utility-scale renewable energy projects, stimulate local job creation and knowledge transfer, and further incentivise the adoption of commercial clean energy in the Middle East and North Africa,” said Dr Ebrahim Saif, Jordan’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources.

“Today’s agreement further strengthens the deep-rooted cooperation between Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, and builds on the success of the region’s first utility-scale wind farm that Masdar and its partners inaugurated in the kingdom last year,” said Dr Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and chairman of Masdar.

“Meeting the region’s growing demand for power will require a diverse range of energy sources, and this solar project reinforces the role of renewable energy as an efficient and cost-effective contributor to the global energy mix.”

Jordan’s largest solar power plant will be linked to Al Muwaqqar substation located approximately 10 kilometres outside Amman. Once connected to the national grid, it will meet the annual power needs of around 110,000 homes and displace an estimated 360,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

Staff Report

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