Jordan to invite proposals for wind farm in May

11 March 2010

Wind farm to be built near Shobak, about 200 kilometres south of the capital

Jordan is set to issue a request for proposals (RFP) in May this year to build its next wind farm at Fujeij.

Jordan’s Energy & Mineral Resources Ministry has prequalified eight groups for the project. It issued a request for qualification (RFQ) in June 2009 for the project (MEED 16:2:10).

Feasibility studies by the government have indicated the proposed site would be suitable for an initial 80-100MW facility. This could be increased to 250MW at a later date.

Amman has also launched a $28m fund to support the country’s renewable energy sector.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector investment arm of the World Bank, is advising the government on the project.

Amman has also launched a JD20m ($28m) fund to support the country’s renewable energy sector. The Fujeij wind farm is expected to benefit from this.

The Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Fund has been established as part of the recently passed Renewable Energy Law. Companies will be able to apply for support from the fund, which will be backed by the government and international donor agencies.

This could replace potential funding from the Global Environment Facility, a Washington-based multilateral organisation, which provides grants for renewable energy initiatives in developing countries.

The enactment of the renewables law also allows the government to engage in direct negotiations with developers without the need to enter into a bidding process.

According to Jordan’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khaled al-Irani, this decision was taken to fast-track renewable energy projects to meet the country’s renewable energy target of 20 per cent of power from renewable resources by 2020.

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