Jordan inaugurates first national conference on energy, mineral resources

AMMAN — Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh on Tuesday inaugurated the first national conference on energy and mineral resources.

He said that the kingdom has an "advanced" energy sector, noting that about 27 per cent of the Kingdom's electricity is generated from renewable sources.

The minister said that the achievement made Jordan the "first" country in the Middle East, in terms of the contribution of renewable energy to the electricity mix, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Kharabsheh also highlighted that the government seeks to develop the mining sector, adding that companies specialised in exploring gold, copper and mineral resources will be licensed for the first time for this purpose.

He also referred to current efforts to produce green hydrogen according to the Economic Modernisation Vision.

Ministry Secretary-General Amani Azzam said that Jordan relies on several sources to obtain natural gas, mainly the floating gas ship in the port of Aqaba.

The ministry, she noted, is working on projects to convert gas into a compressed liquid, aimed to reduce costs for the kingdom's industrial estates and automate energy and minerals sector services, which will be "available online soon."

Chairman of the Board of Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) Ziad Saideh said the year 2024 witnessed the implementation of an incentive electricity tariff that contributed to achieving financial savings for the beneficiary sectors.

Saideh stressed that 75 per cent of the kingdom's electric meters have been replaced with smart devices, with plans to complete the entire project "soon."

President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry Fathi Jaghbir said the chamber has submitted a proposal to establish a holding company, which is under establishment, to transport gas, which would contribute to providing new job opportunities.

Head of the Lower House Energy Committee MP Haitham Zyadin said results of studies indicate that Risha field contains 4.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, an amount sufficient to meet Jordan's needs for six years.

The conference stressed the need to enhance investment in the Kingdom's energy and mineral wealth sector and work to achieve "sustainable" energy transformation to support the national economy.

The event, which was organised by Al Taj News Company, saw the participation of experts in the energy and construction fields and representatives of the public and private sector institutions.