Jordan, Norway to ink deals in green hydrogen, renewable energy exploration

AMMAN — Jordan and Norway have agreed to sign several memoranda of understanding in the fields of green hydrogen, oil and gas exploration and renewable energy, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Saleh Kharabsheh said on Saturday.

Kharabsheh’s remarks came after his visit to Norway, during which he discussed implementing programmes to achieve the goals of energy provision, security and sustainability with Norwegian officials. At the same time, the minister went over the means to turn the Kingdom into a regional centre for exporting green energy, according to a ministry statement.

The delegation's visit followed up on the outcomes of His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit to Norway in March, during which the two countries discussed ways to enhance cooperation in energy and climate change, the minister said.

Kharabsheh also mentioned a meeting between the Jordanian delegation and the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland, during which the two sides went over future steps to boost cooperation, especially in energy sector infrastructure. 

The meeting went over preparations for a project connecting countries in the Middle East and North Africa with European countries to supply them with green energy at a relatively low cost, he added.

The minister said that the meeting stressed the importance of utilising the currently available infrastructure to transfer green hydrogen produced from renewable sources of energy, to contribute to carbon reduction commitments and addressing the effects of climate change.

Kharabsheh noted that the visit included meetings and visits to energy companies to attract investments in renewable energy, green hydrogen and oil and gas exploration.

In this regard, the minister said that discussions went over procedures taken by the energy sector in renewable energy projects, energy efficiency and studies currently being implemented to develop the electrical grid, consider electrical storage studies and shift towards smart grids that can accommodate more renewable energy to reach a 50 per cent renewable energy quotient by 2030.

Meanwhile, during a meeting with Minister of Climate and the Environment Espen Barth, Environment Minister Muawia Radaideh reviewed procedures that the Kingdom has adopted to face climate change impacts, such as the climate change policy and the National Determined Contribution’s Document (NDC) that guarantees Jordan’s commitment to reduce emissions by 31 per cent by 2030.