Gov’t aims to develop infrastructure for green hydrogen investments — minister

AMMAN — The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is working with partners to develop the optimal infrastructure for green hydrogen investment projects in Jordan, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh, said on Monday.

Speaking at the first Green Hydrogen Investors Roundtable, which was attended by the National Green Hydrogen Committee and representatives of local and international companies that have signed memorandums of understanding with the ministry, Kharabsheh stressed the importance of partnerships aimed at implementing specialised projects for local green hydrogen production.

Kharabsheh also highlighted Jordan’s favourable attributes which, he said, have made it the leader in the region in terms of combined renewable energy capacity, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

According to the 2022 Arab Future Energy Index (AFEX) report, conducted by the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), the renewable sources accounted for 27 per cent of the Kingdom’s electricity generation in 2022.

The minister underlined the ministry’s initiatives to boost Jordan’s green energy exports, in line with Royal directives and the economic modernisation vision to position Jordan as a regional hub for hydrogen production and export, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Kharabsheh commended the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for organising the workshop and expressed hope that constructive recommendations would be reached to facilitate the implementation of appropriate models for local green hydrogen investment projects. 

Gretchen Biery, the EBRD director for the Eastern Mediterranean, underlined Jordan’s potential to sign several agreements for the development of hydrogen projects, emphasising Jordan’s key role in the hydrogen market, thanks to its strategic location and abundant mineral resources.

She also reiterated the EBRD’s commitment to fostering an open communication environment and encouraging diverse perspectives to address the challenges and capitalise on opportunities for the development of Jordan’s green hydrogen industry, which is in line with the government’s goals to reduce carbon emissions and increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix to 50 per cent by 2030, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 31 per cent.

The meeting included discussions on hydrogen production and investment potential, shared hydrogen infrastructure, and the benefits and challenges of infrastructure options to promote a business model conducive to competitive hydrogen investment in Jordan.