Jordan Nears 20% Renewables Generation, Oil Shale In Limbo

29 Jan 2021 Issue: 64 / 4 By: Waylon Fairbanks

Jordan’s electricity sector took a leap forward in 2020, securing stable Israeli gas supply and nearing 20% renewables generation. A controversial oil shale project could push domestic generation to 35%, but the deal is headed to arbitration.

Jordan’s Energy Minister Hala al-Zawati is reaping the benefits of an energy policy which has seen the kingdom go from near-total reliance on costly liquids imports for power generation in 2013-2014 to gas and renewables-dominated generation just four years later.

“We went from just 1% of energy produced from renewables when we started our journey in 2012. Jordan is now in the 19% range and hopefully will exceed 20% in the coming months,” Ms Zawati told the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum this month. “Between 19% renewables and the rest from natural gas, we have among the cleanest energy mix in the region – no coal, fuel oil, or diesel,” she says. This is a slight exaggeration, but the oil-fueled share of power generation fell to a record low 4% for 2020 (see chart 1). (CONTINUED - 770 WORDS)