Upping reliance on green energy to 11% will be ‘major breakthrough’ — MP

AMMAN — It will be a “major breakthrough” if the government succeeds in increasing renewable energy’s share in the energy mix to 11 per cent by 2025, an MP said Thursday.

Jamal Gammoh, head of the Lower House’s Energy Committee, said the future of Jordan and the best solution for its accumulated energy woes “lies primarily” in maximising its exploitation of renewable energy.

Asked about his opinion on the government’s renewable energy plans listed in the recently launched 10-year blueprint for economic and social development “Jordan 2025”, Gammoh said: “If this government or future ones succeed in raising the share of renewable energy in the energy mix to 11 per cent, it will definitely be a major achievement.”

“Eleven per cent means that the share of renewables in gross energy consumption will reach 25 per cent,” the MP added. 

In the 10-year blueprint for economic development, the government said it would work on increasing renewable energy’s share in the energy mix from 1.5 per cent in 2014 to 4 per cent by 2017, 7 per cent by 2021 and 11 per cent by 2025.

Jordan, which currently imports about 96 per cent of its energy needs at an annual cost of about 20 per cent of the gross domestic product, has drawn up plans to resolve its energy woes by using renewable energy, diversifying its natural gas imports and building a nuclear reactor.

Gammoh, who also heads a parliamentary committee investigating energy-related files, said the panel has held several meetings with the concerned parties to probe cases referred to it by the Lower House.

He added that the committee is now examining Jordan’s projected nuclear programme and a draft oil exploration agreement with the Korea Global Energy Corporation and Enegi Oil Plc. that the government approved last year.

The Chamber decided to investigate the two files after approving requests by MPs Abdul Karim Dughmi and Mahmoud Kharabsheh.

The committee held a meeting with officials on Tuesday to discuss issues related to electricity and the losses of the National Electric Power Company, in addition to the issue of Israeli gas imports, according to Gammoh. 

“The government has not yet signed any gas import agreements with Israel or Noble Energy,” he noted.