Energy
From The Report: Jordan 2014
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Population increases and a growing economy look set to intensify demand on energy resources in Jordan over the coming years. In response, the government has put in place an energy plan that will focus on maximising the use of domestic resources, particularly oil shale; encouraging energy conservation and awareness; generating electricity from nuclear energy; and promoting the development of renewable energy projects. While driving diversification and the development of domestic energy sources, the plan will also reduce the kingdom’s reliance on energy imports, which stood at 97% of energy needs in 2011, and allow Jordan to stabilise prices and supply streams in times of regional turbulence.

This chapter contains an interview with Mohammad Hamed, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Diversifying the mix: As demand increases and the external environment continues to get more complicated, the country turns to alternative energy sources
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One of the biggest challenges facing Jordan is keeping up with the rapidly increasing demand for energy, as it continues to grow economically. Energy demand over the past four years increased rapidly after the population grew by an enormous 20% due to the Syrian refugee influx. Sabotage attacks in Egypt halted Egyptian gas supplies to Jordan, which forced the country to substitute the relatively cheap gas with much more expensive diesel and heavy fuel. This challenge is made all the more difficult…

Analysis

The lack of oil and gas has presented major challenges, but the sector remains important
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Unlike its neighbours, Jordan has never had a large oil and gas sector. While Iraq and Saudi Arabia have major hydrocarbons industries, the fields on which these are based seem to barely touch the kingdom, with Jordan thus in the unenviable position of having to import almost all of its oil and gas needs. Yet while small, Jordan’s oil and gas sector still makes a vital contribution to the kingdom’s energy mix. Some in the sector remain convinced, too, that Jordan may have much more to offer in…

Analysis

As the country seeks to diversify its energy resources, oil shale has significant potential
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While Jordan has few oil and gas resources of its own, it does have an abundance of several key natural resources that can potentially be used to produce energy. One of these is oil shale, the sedimentary rock that underlies around two-thirds of the kingdom’s territory – giving Jordan one of the largest deposits of this material anywhere in the world. Oil shale can be burnt in power stations to generate electricity or heated to produce crude shale oil. With Jordan’s need for new energy sources…

Interview

OBG talks to Mohammad Hamed, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
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Interivew:Mohammad Hamed What is your vision for the energy sector, and, two years on, what has been the impact of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Law? MOHAMMAD HAMED: As a result of this law, we have seen a great deal of progress being made in developing sources of renewable energy, especially through smaller-scale projects. We are seeing widespread installation of photovoltaic panels on rooftops, with approximately 450 households now connected to the national grid. We have also…