Jordan to harness solar energy to power street lights — Zawati

AMMAN — The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, in cooperation with the Ministry of Local Administration, will float a tender for replacing the Kingdom's streetlights with energy-efficient systems, Minister of Energy Hala Zawati announced on Monday.

Zawati's remarks came during the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise Conference, which was organised by the Economic and Social Council, attended by Prime Minister Omar Razzaz and various stakeholders, according to an Energy Ministry statement.

During a session to discuss the recommendations of the energy sector, Zawati said that the tender will be floated during the first quarter of this year, adding that solar cells will be installed at the municipalities' buildings across the Kingdom.

During the upcoming two weeks, the ministry will announce the energy sector's strategy for 2020-2030, along with an executive strategy that focuses on achieving energy security, diversification of energy sources, cutting costs and enhancing reliance on local resources.

During the gathering, Zawati also highlighted the ministry's efforts to boost the competitiveness and productivity of the industry, agriculture and services sectors. 

She noted that the annual electric tariff subsidies given to the agriculture sector amount to JD40 million, while annual subsidies granted to small-scale industries are at JD29 million. Subsidies granted to medium-sized industries in 2020 will reach JD50 million.

Zawati reiterated that the ministry will continue issuing licences for renewable energy projects with capacities of less than 1 Megawatt (MW), noting that since 2014, some 15,300 projects have been issued licences, only 47 of which have a capacity of more than 1 MW.

Commenting on the “popular misconception” that the Kingdom has an electricity surplus, the minister stressed that Jordan instead has a surplus of energy-generation capacity.