Electric solar car-charging stations to be installed before year end

AMMAN — By the end of this year, about 10 solar-powered electric car-charging stations are expected to be operating in Amman, according to the Jordan Competiveness Programme, which helped attract an investor to build the stations.

“We attracted the investor, who is a Jordanian running a company in the Silicon Valley. The investor opened a company in Amman, hired employees and is bringing new know-how and technology to Jordan,” USAID Jordan Competiveness Programme (JCP) chief of party Wissam Rabadi said in an interview with The Jordan Times.

Net Energy, the company that will introduce these stations to Jordan, has already signed a deal with the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) to go ahead with plans in this regard, according to Rabadi.

During the World Economic Forum, the GAM signed a deal with Noor Jordan for Transport — Taxi Moumayaz to start operating hybrid vehicles.  Under the agreement, the company will replace 300 cars with hybrid vehicles and up to 100 cars with electric vehicles at a value of $13 million.

Ayman Smadi, executive director of GAM’s transport and traffic department, said the agreement is part of the municipality’s vision in protecting the environment.  In previous remarks to The Jordan Times, Smadi said the electric cars will be operated in specific areas including Jabal Hussein, Abdali and downtown Amman under the slogan “Tawseelah” (pick up). 

Electric cars are currently used by some in Jordan including Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, the lower house speaker and Senate president, along with other ministers and high-ranking officials.

“We would like to see more of this and we will continue to exert more efforts to help in this respect,” said Rabadi, adding that these efforts also include working with concerned authorities on amending legislation regarding the work of such charging stations.

Launched in 2013, the JCP is a five-year project funded by USAID and implemented by Development Alternatives Inc. 

It seeks to address challenges that Jordan faces in creating high-quality jobs through increased private sector competitiveness, and by working closely with the public and private sectors to promote policy reforms, build capacity, improve coordination and attract foreign investments.

 The programme aims to generate at least 40,000 well-paying jobs within five years, increase foreign direct investment by $700 million and exports by an average of 25 per cent over five years.