20 companies shortlisted to build four solar power plants

AMMAN — The government on Thursday announced the final list of companies qualified for building four solar power plants in different areas in Jordan.

Four of the 20 companies will be selected to build four solar power plants with a capacity of 50 megawatts each, Haidar Gammaz, spokesperson of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, told The Jordan Times. 

“The bids by those companies are now approved. However, a specialised committee will start looking into them to make the selection,” he said.

“We expect the selection to happen very soon and then measures to implement the projects on the ground will start. These projects are very important to Jordan and are part of the country’s national energy strategy that entails increasing reliance on renewable energy resources,” Gammaz added.

According to the ministry’s website, the local and international companies include Hareon Swiss Holding, Actgiv Solar, Alten, ELF, Scatec Solar and Suncore, Saudi Oger and ACWA Power.

Studies are also under way on the completion of the process to expand the national grid’s capacity to absorb more renewable energy projects, according to Gammaz.

As part of the energy strategy, renewable energy projects are expected to generate 1,500 megawatts of electricity by 2020. 

Jordan imports about 97 per cent of its energy needs annually at about 18 per cent of the gross domestic product, according to the ministry’s figures. 

The Kingdom has one of the highest annual daily averages of solar irradiance in the world with an estimated 330 days of sunshine per year, while wind speeds in the country are as high as 7.5 metres to 11.5 metres per second in hilly areas.