Shams Maan is owned by a consortium consisting of Diamond Generating Europe Ltd., a subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Corporation; Nebras Power Q.S.C., a subsidiary of the Qatar Electricity & Water Company; and the Kawar Group.
The plant, which will be engineered and constructed by First Solar, is an important component in Jordans strategic diversification of its generation portfolio, which is intended to boost energy security. The facility will cover an area of two million square meters and will be powered by First Solars advanced thin film modules, which deliver an energy yield advantage in hot climates. It will also be the first PV project in the region to feature the use of the First Solar Tracker, which will allow the plant to generate up to 20 percent more energy.
When it is completed in 2016, the facility will supply an estimated 160 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean, solar electricity per year, which is equivalent to approximately one percent of Jordans annual energy output and is sufficient to power 35,000 average homes in the country. Additionally, the plant will also help the country reduce its carbon footprint by displacing approximately 90,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, equivalent to removing about 20,000 cars from its roads.
