AMMAN - The Jordan Renewable Energy Society (JRES) on Sunday welcomed the Cabinet's endorsement of the Renewable Energy Law, and called on countries in the region to adopt similar legislation.
The society, chaired by HRH Prince Asem Ben Nayef, yesterday announced its intention to acquaint diplomatic missions with the law at a meeting in March.
Also during the upcoming meeting, participants are expected to launch an international conference and exhibition for renewable energy, slated to be held September 20-22, according to JRES Director Mohammad Taani.
The JRES is currently participating in the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi in order to highlight the Kingdom's Renewable Energy Law as a model and to promote the benefits of investment in Jordan, he added.
"Our vision is to spread the promotion of alternative energy over the Arab world, and to plant the seeds of know-how and knowledge of renewable energy," Taani told The Jordan Times.
The society is also preparing an education programme on renewable energy concepts and opportunities, targeting Jordanians from early childhood to university level.
"We need to find a way to best incorporate renewable energy principles into our culture," Taani said
The society is expected to hold another conference in February to highlight the law and encourage debate on the sector, with the participation of decision makers, investors, researchers and experts from across the region and around the world.
The Cabinet passed the long-awaited law Renewable Energy Law, which is designed to facilitate investment in the sector, last Tuesday, and it will go into force after being published in the Official Gazette.
One of the major components of the legislation allows local and international companies to bypass a competitive bidding process and negotiate with the ministry directly to establish renewable energy projects.
Also under the law, the National Electric Power Company will be obligated to purchase any and all electricity produced by renewable energy power plants, and to pay for connecting such projects to the national grid.
The law aims to support the goals of the National Energy Strategy, which calls for 7 per cent of the Kingdom's energy mix to come from renewable energy sources by 2015, and 10 per cent by 2020.
By Taylor Luck
© Jordan Times 2010
