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'More needed to promote renewable energy in Jordan'

AMMAN - Despite progress with the recently endorsed Renewable Energy Law, more needs to be done to encourage green energy projects at the local level, experts said on Sunday.

In the final recommendations of the National Dialogue on Renewable Energy, issued yesterday, participants called for incentives in the temporary legislation to be expanded to include small businesses, public facilities and individuals.

Participants in the two-day dialogue, which took place last week, issued various recommendations to ensure the Kingdom achieves the national energy strategy's goal of 10 per cent of its energy mix coming from renewable sources within the next decade.

As part of the recommendations, President of the Jordan Renewable Energy Society (JRES) HRH Prince Asem Ben Nayef stressed that the private sector should not wait for large projects to begin investing in the sector.

"Jordan is to reach 10 per cent of renewable energy and the government cannot do it on its own. Incentives should be provided to individuals for small projects," JRES Director Mohammad Taani told The Jordan Times in a phone interview yesterday.

Experts also called for a programme to certify Jordanian companies that have experience in the sector, to ensure that international companies are aware of available local subcontractors and encourage the use of local firms and materials.

As part of the qualification process, incentives granted in the law would be restricted to companies that have a minimum of five years experience in the renewable energy field and have produced facilities with at least 10 megawatts capacity.

They added that the temporary law in its current form favours large-scale investments and projects, and does not go far enough to support smaller initiatives, such as the adoption of renewable energy at schools, hospitals, small and medium enterprises and farms. Such small-scale initiatives can also play a role in reducing energy demand, they noted.

Among the recommendations, experts called for authorities to launch an awareness campaign to promote the law's incentives for investors in the sector, develop specialised university courses on renewable energy based on the British model, and produce a special programme to organise various companies working in the industry.

In addition, the recommendations included developing the capacities of companies working in the sector, issuing a green building code in order to improve thermal insulation, encouraging the adoption of energy-saving and renewable energy technology and establishing a "green bank" in Jordan.

Private and public sector officials called for greater cooperation between the ministries of environment and energy to develop the green energy sector.

In order to facilitate renewable energy projects, the Renewable Energy Law, which was approved by a Royal Decree earlier this month as temporary legislation, allows the ministry to negotiate with companies directly, and requires proposals for projects to state fixed electricity tariffs.

Under the law, the National Electric Power Company will be obligated to purchase any and all electricity produced by renewable energy power plants and cover the cost of connecting renewable energy projects to the national grid.

The law also sets guidelines for net metering, allowing citizens with solar power or wind turbines to sell electricity back to their electricity provider.

By Taylor Luck

© Jordan Times 2010