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Middle East seeks green energy

Jordan imports 97  per cent of its energy needs from neighbouring countries, but lies in the so-called sun-belt area and possesses a high potential for solar power. The annual daily average solar irradiation on a horizontal surface ranges between 5 and 7 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per square meter, one of the highest in the world. Photovoltaic solar systems have been operating in Jordan for some time, as decentralized systems in the rural and remote villages provide electricity for lighting, water-pumping and other social services.

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) extended a grant to help fund the feasibility study for Jordan’s first major private solar-power project on the sidelines of the MENA Power 2010 forum in Cairo. According to a statement from Kawar Energy, the estimated cost of the project is US $400 million, and the USTDA grant will be used to assist to implement the plan, evaluate technology and assess equipment.

While Algeria has proven natural gas reserves of 4.5 trillion cubic meters, the country also has a high potential of solar energy. Annual solar irradiation is about 1,700 kWh per square meter for the northern part of the country and 2,263 kWh per square meter in the south of the country.

In May 2010, Cevital, Algeria’s largest private company, began seeking foreign investors to help it build an US $8 billion solar power complex to export electricity to Europe.
Although the United Arab Emirates has been a member of OPEC since 1967 and has proven natural gas reserves of more than 6 billion cubic meters, proven crude reserves of 97.8 billion barrels, it is also implementing various solar power projects.

This month Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company unveiled the Shams 1 project, which is being developed in collaboration with Total SA of France and Abengoa Solar of Spain. The project will contribute 7 per cent of the energy needs of Abu Dhabi from renewable energy by 2020.

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  • Elliot Russell said:

    hopefully, we would be shifting more and more towards green energy in the future.,*’

    # 30 June 2010 at 7:22 am
  • Sydney Collins said:

    green energy is our only ticket in avoiding pollution and also being independent from oil exporting countries.

    # 22 July 2010 at 3:10 am
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