A joint development agreement has been inked between Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. The agreement will see the development of a one gigawatt (GW) wind project with a battery energy storage system (BESS).
Masdar said it has also inked a deal to explore the feasibility of establishing a green hydrogen plant near the Port of Aqaba, which will use desalinated seawater and dedicated renewable power to produce cost-competitive hydrogen. This is said to be part of its goal to achieve one million tonnes of green hydrogen production by 2030.
Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi signed the deal with the Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Saleh Al Kharabsheh at COP28 in the presence of UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, COP28 President and Masdar Chairman Dr Sultan Al Jaber and Jordan Minister of the Environment Dr Muawieh Khalid Radaideh.
“With substantial wind and solar resources that can be used to generate large amounts of renewable energy and produce cost-competitive green hydrogen and green fuels, Jordan has the potential to become a global powerhouse in the green energy transition,” explained Al Ramahi.
He added, “Building on the strength of our longstanding partnership, Masdar is delighted to bring our expertise in clean energy projects and technologies to help Jordan achieve its decarbonisation plans and unlock the nation’s enormous potential.”
Masdar already had a substantial presence in Jordan through its Baynouna Solar Energy Company (BSCE), a joint venture with Finnish investment and asset management group Taaleri, which inaugurated the 200MW Baynouna Solar Park, the largest clean energy project in Jordan, in February.
Dr Al Kharabsheh added, “The Jordanian government’s efforts continue to enhance Jordan’s role as a regional centre for green energy production and provide high-quality, cost-competitive green hydrogen fuel by taking advantage of the abundance of renewable energy sources and our nation’s strategic geographical location in the region to provide excellent access to European markets.”
He pointed out that Jordan valued co-operation at the regional and national level, and that the partnership with Masdar – through the signing of these agreements – would help advance the ministry’s priorities and Jordan’s Economic Modernisation Vision (2023-2033). This includes investment in green hydrogen production projects, which are part of Jordan’s initiatives to transition towards the use of clean energy as it aims to achieve Net Zero, he concluded.