Masdar inks deal for 200MW Jordan solar plant

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Masdar inks deal for 200MW Jordan solar plant

Masdar has signed a deal to develop a 200 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic solar plant for Jordan’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR).

The news comes less than one month after Masdar and its partners inaugurated the 117MW Tafila wind farm in the Hashemite Kingdom.

The deal was formalised during World Future Energy Summit, part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) in Abu Dhabi.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul, CEO of Masdar, said: “Jordan is a key market for Masdar in the MENA-region. With regional energy demand set to double by 2030, we believe the majority of that growth will be met from renewable energy. This growth represents a strong business case for renewables, not just in Jordan, but also across the wider MENA region.”

HE Dr Ibrahim Saif, Jordan’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources said: “This project is an investment in Jordan’s future energy security. It reflects the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II to reduce the Kingdom’s reliance on imported energy and limit our carbon footprint. We believe the project will stimulate the investment climate for similar renewable energy projects in Jordan and will strengthen out status as a new and important destination for renewable energy investments in the region.”

Thesolar plant is Masdar’s second major investment in Jordan. In December it successfully delivered the Tafila wind farm, a joint venture between Inframed, EPGE and Masdar, that will account for almost 6.5% of Jordan’s 1,800MW renewable energy target for 2020.

The 117MW installation will create enough electricity to power 83,000 homes while reducing the country’s carbon emissions by 235,000 tonnes annually.

Both the solar project and the Tafila wind farm are in line with Jordan’s vision to diversify its energy sources and promote greater reliance on renewable energy and a response to the Kingdom’s 2010 renewable energy law, calling for around 15% electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. Jordan imports around 96% of its energy needs at a cost equivalent to 20% of the country’s GDP.

Source: Construction On Line

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.