Jordan’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) received prequalification documents from 33 companies and consortiums ahead of the 10 February deadline for the second round of solar direct proposals.

Under the feed-in tariff scheme, four 50MW solar photovoltaic projects will be approved.

The companies are:

• Suncore Photovoltaic Technology (China)
• Activ Solar (Austria)
• Aqaba National Real Estate Projects Company (ANREPCO) (Kuwait/local)
• Terra Sola Jordan for Renewable Energy (local)
• Hanergy Global Solar Power Group (Europe) (China)
• Alten Renewable Energy Developments (Spain)
• Scatec Solar (Norway)/Philadelphia Solar (USA)
• ELF Energy International (UAE)
• Enfinity Middle East (Belgium)
• Kawar Investments (local)
• Seci Energia (Italy)
• Mainstream Renewable Power (Ireland)
• Elecnor (Spain)
• Building Energy (Italy)
• AlSanad for Renewable Energy (JoSolar) (UAE)
• Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (Spain)
• Linuo Group (China)
• Hareon Swiss Holding (China)
• SunEdison Italia Construction (USA)
• GI Karnomourakis ‘Sunrise PV Systems’ (Greece)
• Saudi Oger (Saudi Arabia)
• Neoen (France)
• Canadian Solar (Canada)
• Abengoa Solar (Spain)
• Evolution Solar (USA)
• Spectrum International for Investment (local)
• Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia)
• Sources International Trading Company
• Bright Investments Group
• The Jordanian Company for Canadian Renewable Energy
• Clean Energy Concepts (local)
• Solairedirect (France)
• Skypower Services (Canada)

MEMR accepted expressions of interest for the projects from 23 firms in early 2014, while another 24 applications were accepted conditionally.

The prequalification deadline was delayed from July 2014 while projects from the first round of proposals secured financing. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) were signed with the developers of 12 smaller solar PV projects in June 2014.

Jordan’s three-round renewable energy feed-in tariff scheme was a first for the region when it was launched in 2011. Under the direct proposal programme, applicants, which can be single companies or joint ventures, submit proposals for the wind and solar projects under a guaranteed feed-in tariff, to be implemented on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis.

Applicants selected by MEMR receive a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which allows them to undertake feasibility studies and measurement programmes.

Egypt is now working on a similar, but larger programme.

From the first round, SunEdison’s 20MW project reached a financial close in late 2014, while the largest project, 52.5MW Shams Maan, reached a financial close in January 2015. Remaining first round projects are expected to reach a financial close before the final deadline on 31 March 2015.

PPAs on wind projects are yet to be signed.

The third round of the programme was cancelled, reportedly due to a lack of both the institutional and grid capacity to manage three rounds of projects simultaneously.