'Jordan perfect location for concentrated solar thermal power'

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The technology, which has yet to be applied in Jordan, will best utilise the country's immense amount of sunlight and address the increasing electricity demand, according to participants at a seminar organised by the German-Jordanian University and Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE).

The method uses lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam to produce up to 14.000^oC of heat, creating steam to power a turbine for generating electricity.

CSP has several advantages over traditional photovoltaic (PV) units, which are often used in the Kingdom for water heaters and small-scale solar power initiatives, according to Werner Platzet, head of the research department at ISE, one of the largest solar energy research organisations in Europe.

Unlike other renewable energies, CSP has the potential to store energy from 4-12 hours, with some plants able provide uninterrupted electricity for up to 24 hours a day, he added.

The technology, which is to be used in the planned 100MW solar power plant in Maan, will create a new employment sector for the country, Ahmad Muhaidat, head of the GJU energy engineering department, told The Jordan Times.

There is even greater potential for developing solar energy in Jordan than in Germany, whose renewable energy sector supplies a significant portion of its energy and thousands of jobs, as the Kingdom has three times as much sunlight, Platzet said.

"PV has created thousands of jobs in Germany, and CSP can do the same in Jordan," he stressed.

Further investment in Jordan and across the region is needed, however, to spur research and development to enhance the technology and lower the costs of its application.

One of the obstacles to the technology's application is its initial high cost for investment.

"We have the tools and the personnel to become leaders in CSP technology; all they need is education," Muhaidat added.

"The initial investment is high, but it is essentially free electricity for decades," Platzet said, noting that a 100 megawatt (MW) CSP plant at current prices could range from JD150-JD300 million.

The plant, however, has a long life-cycle, as it is able to produce electricity for 50 years, with a service and upkeep cost of 1-2 per cent of the initial investment.

"We don't know where the prices of oil will be in 25 years, but we know that the sun will always be free," he stressed.

Although current existing CSP plants, such as those in Spain, rely on large amounts of water for cooling, some CSP technology can use dry cooling methods, such as wind, in water-conscious countries like Jordan.

On the first day of the seminar yesterday, ISE and GJU experts familiarised decision makers and business leaders with the technology. In the next two days, the seminar will focus on engineers and technicians, explaining the technical aspects and practical application of the technology.

Under the country's national energy strategy, the Kingdom is looking to produce 600MW of wind and 300-600MW of solar energy by 2020.

Jordan imports around 96 per cent of its energy costing the country some 20 per cent of its gross domestic product .

However, some $1.4- 2.1 billion (2007 prices) in investments is required to meet the energy strategy's goals, according to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

By Taylor Luck

© Jordan Times 2009