AMMAN: More than 460,000 people in Jordan have benefited from programs run by the country’s Energy Promotion and Consumption Efficiency Fund, according to its CEO.
Speaking on Saturday at the Jordan Economic Forum, Rasmi Hamza said the initiatives involved direct investment of about 40 million Jordanian dinar ($56.4 million) and projects worth more than JD100 million.
“The fund, established in 2014 with an initial government capital of JD25 million, has become a leader in the energy transition process in Jordan through programs targeting households and economic sectors,” he said.
Its various schemes had “directly impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of families and reduced the energy bill in vital sectors such as industry,” the Jordan News Agency reported.
Hamza said that since its creation the fund had focused on three main objectives: delivering direct economic and social impact, reducing the national energy bill and enhancing competitiveness.
He highlighted the launch of the country’s first large-scale solar power plant with capacity of 50 megawatts and 117MW wind projects in Tafileh, which “triggered a wave of investments in renewable energy.”
The adoption of solar water heaters had grown significantly since 2014, when only 13 percent of households had them, he said.
“With programs bankrolled by the fund, the number of beneficiary families surged to more than 70,000, in addition to 8,000 impoverished households that received free solar systems,” Hamza said, adding that the goal was to install 90,000 solar water heaters by 2030.
The fund’s programs created direct savings for citizens, with each solar heater saving families JD240-300 a year, he said.
He also highlighted the fund’s partnerships with more than 250 local associations to expand access to rural areas. These extend across multiple sectors, providing solar energy systems to 630 places of worship, 15 public benefit institutions, 20 government buildings, 33 health centers and 135 schools.
“The agricultural sector has also benefited, with energy systems installed in 240 farms, while energy conservation programs have been implemented in 201 small- and medium-sized factories and 12 hotels,” Hamza said.
