AMMAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Thursday inaugurated a solar power plant with a total capacity of 103 megawatts at a total cost of 120 million U.S. dollars.
The solar plant, which is located in Al Queira area, is financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.
At the inauguration ceremony, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh stressed the importance of the power plant, which he said will reduce pressure on Jordan amidst rising demand on electricity.
The plant falls in line with Jordan's strategy to increase renewable energy contribution to the overall energy mix to 20 per cent by 2020, he said.
The minister added that there are solar and wind energy projects with total capacity of 700 megawatts that are already operational in Jordan.
He said that by 2020 there will be renewable energy projects with total capacity of 2,000 megawatts operational.
The minister voiced appreciation to the UAE for its support to Jordan, adding that the project is funded by a grant from the UAE.
Nasser Shraideh, chief commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, stressed the importance of the sector in providing the area part of its energy needs.
He added that there is increasing demand on electricity in Aqaba as three industrial zones are in the pipelines to be created in the city.
The solar plant in Al Queira was built by a consortium of Spanish and UAE companies.
Jordan, which imports 97 per cent of its energy needs, is working on several energy projects including oil shale, renewable and nuclear reactors to face rising need on energy.
