Jordan

The shading effect of rooftop PV systems may help reduce cooling demand in uninsulated buildings by over 10% in the summer, according to new research from Jordan. The scientists also found that a rooftop array may increase a building’s heating load in the winter by 3.8%.

Scientists have investigated how utility-scale solar may be used to power multistage flashing-brine recirculation (MSF-BR) water desalination plants in Aqaba, Jordan. They found the facility would be sufficient to provide the entire city with drinking water. The proposed system configuration comprises a 30 MW solar plant and a standar MSF-BR unit.

Researchers in Jordan have designed a solar-assisted heat pump system for swimming pool heating at a hotel in the coastal city of Aqaba. They found that the system has a payback time of only 1.94 years and that total profits after ten years of operations may reach around $1.88 million.

Solar energy is not only key to the energy transition and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; it is also a way to empower remote and rural communities that are isolated from easy access to electricity. Across the globe, distributed solar solutions are being implemented to improve the well-being of individuals, communities, and businesses by providing access to clean, affordable energy. Huawei technology is at the heart of many of these solutions, as the following case studies from Africa and the Middle East demonstrate.

The Al Husainiyah solar plant, 200km south of Jordanian capital Amman, began commercial operations a week ago with more than 200,000 panels manufactured by 30% joint owner Philadelphia Solar.

The kingdom has had a ban on new large scale clean energy projects since January 2019 as Covid-19 exacerbated a situation in which generation capacity already outstripped supply. Lifting that embargo, and re-starting renewables auctions would be a step in the right direction, according to IRENA.

Telecomms, retail and garment manufacturing businesses have signed up to consume the electricity to be generated by eight solar projects in Jordan which will harness grid infrastructure to transfer an estimated 81 GWh of clean power annually.

Researchers in the Middle East have proposed a new passive technology to cool off solar modules, based on highly conductive porous materials.

The private-sector arm of the World Bank, which claims to leverage $3 of its own capital and $8 from third parties for every dollar invested in its blended finance funds, has attempted to quantify what devoting Covid recovery funds to green investment would mean for emerging economies.

The Jordanian government has announced more financial support for the rebate scheme for residential PV systems and solar thermal collectors.