AMMAN: Jordan’s Greater Amman Municipality will use a US$13 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to develop the country’s first landfill gas-to-energy recovery system.
The EBRD is co-financing the loan with US$5 million from the Bank’s Green Energy Special Fund (GESF). The main donor to the GESF is the Taiwanese International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF). A new solid waste company will be created using the loan, owned by the city of Amman. According to the EBRD, a public service contract between the city and the newly created company will also be introduced.
Landfill gas will be used to generate electricity for delivery to the national grid, replacing electricity produced by grid-connected power plants that previously used heavy fuel oil. Technical cooperation (TC) activities for a feasibility study and environmental and social due diligence were financially supported by the European Union through its Neighbourhood Investment Facility. The government of Austria is providing further resources to ensure appropriate supervision of engineering and to support project implementation.
In April, Jordan’s plans for a 2000 ton per day waste to energy facility showed signs of progression following a request for proposals (read WMW story). Although still in its infancy across Jordan and the Middle East, landfill gas-to-energy projects are common in the US, with Republic Services alone recently developing its 74th project (read WMW story).
