AMMAN: A major solar power venture has got underway in Jordan’s southern governorate of Ma’an with investments totaling $170 million and targeted electricity output of 52.5 megawatts. Shams Ma’an Power Generation PSC, the company which will carry the project, launched the construction phase of the electricity generation venture which will use photovoltaic cells. The venture is the first of its kind in Jordan and the largest in the region.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, who patronized the launch ceremony, says the projects comes at a time when the government is striving to focus on renewable energy sources in order to ensure energy sustainability and slash high energy bill. The launch ceremony highlighted the construction phase of the project taking place in Ma’an Development Area, where it will be constructed on an area of 2 million square meters, with investments of approximately USD170 million, and a generating capacity of about 52.5 MW at which 681,360 solar panels will be used for the production of about 160 GWH/ year.
On this occasion, Karim Kawar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shams Ma’an Company stressed the importance of this vital project for Jordan and the future of clean energy saying: “Shams Ma’an Project will be a pioneer in the field of renewable energy projects in Jordan, as the year 2015 will represent a point of commitment for all of us to finding practical solutions to the problem of energy in Jordan. He said: “This project is designed in accordance with the highest international standards using sustainable photovoltaic cells for the production of electricity from solar energy, as Jordan and particularly Ma’an is privileged to have sunlight exceeding 2000 KWh annually / SqMtr, which is one of the highest globally.”
