Jordan’s Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources (MEMR) is conducting clarifications with bidders vying to develop photovoltaic (PV) solar plants under the third round of its renewable energy programme.

According to sources close to the project, MEMR is undertaking clarifications with all of the bidders before it publicly announces bids and selects firms to develop solar plants under the third round. MEED reported in April that 16 groups had submitted proposals.

The bidders which submitted proposals are:

• Voltalia (France)
• Solarpack Coporacion Technologica (Spain)/ Xenel International (Saudi Arabia)
• Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia)/ Chint Solar (China)
• Building Energy Development Africa (Italy)
• Tbea Xinjiang Sunoasis (China)
• First Solar (US)
• Neoen (US)/ Catalyst Mena Clean Energy (local)
• Masdar (UAE)
• Adenium Capital (UAE)/ ET Solutions (Germany)/ Ahmad Yousef al-Tarawneh & Partner (local)
• Hanwha Energy (South Korea)/ KEPCO (South Korea)/ Arabia Trading & Consulting (local)
• FRV Solar Holdings (Spain/Saudi Arabia)
• RAI Energy International (US)/ Jordan Company
• Jinko Solar (China)
• Kawar Investment Company (local)/ Canadian Solar
• Linuo Group
• Phelan Energy Group (South Africa)

Fourteen of the bidders submitted 50MW base proposals plus 100MW additional proposals. The Adenium and Linuo groups only submitted 50MW base proposals.

Under the third round, MEMR is planning for the development of 200MW of photovoltaic (PV) solar at a designated site in the Ma’an area, with 100MW of wind power projects to be developed in the southern part of Jordan at a site to be chosen by the developer. Proposals for the wind projects are due on 1 November.

Successful applicants in the third round will enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with MEMR, which will enable them to proceed with measurement campaigns, feasibility studies, technical integration plans for connection into the national grid as well as other relevant preparatory work.

The invited participants will then submit a direct proposal within the required timeframe to MEMR, following which the client will select the best projects to proceed with. Submitted proposals will be ranked according to price, and the bids with the lowest tariffs will be selected as preferred bidders.

Selected developer consortiums will form project companies to operate as independent power producers (IPP) under a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Jordanian government offtaker for a period of 20-25 years.