https://arab.news/8q8sm
RIYADH: Jordan’s clean energy mix is set to grow after Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co., also known as Masdar, signed an agreement with the country’s Ministry of Energy to develop a 1 gigawatt wind project.
The agreement will also see the development of a battery energy storage system and a memorandum to explore the feasibility of establishing a green hydrogen plant, according to a press release.
These deals were signed by Masdar CEO Mohamed Al-Ramahi and Jordan’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Al-Kharabsheh, during the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai.
The ceremony was attended by UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President and Chairman of Masdar Sultan Al-Jaber, alongside Jordan’s Minister of the Environment, Muawieh Radaideh.
The project envisages the establishment of a green hydrogen facility near the Port of Aqaba, leveraging desalinated seawater and renewable power sources to produce cost-competitive green hydrogen.
“With substantial wind and solar resources that can be used to generate large amounts of renewable energy and produce cost-competitive green hydrogen and green fuels, Jordan has the potential to become a global powerhouse in the green energy transition,” Al-Ramahi said.
He emphasized Masdar’s commitment to supporting Jordan’s decarbonization plans and unlocking its vast green energy potential.
Al-Kharabsheh highlighted Jordan’s ongoing efforts to enhance its role as a regional hub for green energy production.
“The Jordanian government’s efforts continue to enhance Jordan’s role as a regional center for green energy production and provide high-quality, cost-competitive green hydrogen fuel by taking advantage of the abundance of renewable energy sources and our nation’s strategic geographical location in the region to provide excellent access to European markets,” he said.
He further added that the collaboration with Masdar aligns with the ministry’s priorities and Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision, encompassing investment in green hydrogen production projects as part of Jordan’s clean energy transition goals.
Masdar already operates the 200 megawatt Baynouna Solar Park through its Baynouna Solar Energy Co. joint venture in Jordan. The solar park stands as Jordan’s largest clean energy project, inaugurated earlier this year.
With Masdar targeting 1 million tons of green hydrogen production by 2030, this collaboration marks a significant stride toward the UAE’s ambition to become a global green hydrogen hub and capture a substantial share of the international low-carbon hydrogen market by the decade’s end.