Giving new heights to the green power generation in the Arabic country of Jordan, the Baynouna Solar Energy Company (BSCE) has announced the formal inauguration of the 200- MW Baynouna Solar Park – the largest clean energy project in Jordan. BSCE is a joint venture between the UAE’s renewable energy company Masdar and Finnish investment and asset management group Taaleri.
The inauguration was held in the presence of Jordan PM, Bisher Al-Khasawneh and Masdar Chairman and UAE Minister Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber among other key dignitaries.
Al Jaber, said, “Along with our other project here – the Tafila Wind Farm – Masdar is already helping Jordan to produce 29 percent of its electricity from renewable sources and will support its goal of increasing that to 50 percent by the end of the decade. Ambitious, transformative partnerships like these are precisely what we need if we are to deliver on the promise of the Paris Agreement and continue to ensure that we are holding back emissions, not progress. “
Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Saleh Al Kharabsheh said that Jordan is focused on developing local energy sources to achieve energy security, enhance self-reliance and limit the effects of climate change.
Developed through a power purchase agreement between Masdar and National Electric Power Company, Jordan’s state electricity provider, the Baynouna Solar Park produces over 560 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of energy annually – enough to power 160,000 homes.
Masdar said that the plant also displaces 360,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to taking nearly 80,000 cars off the road.
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO, Masdar, said, “We are proud to witness the inauguration of this project, which is one of the fruits of Masdar’s long collaborative partnership with Jordan. We would like to thank our partners in Government, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the National Electric Power Company of Jordan, and also the financial institutions that helped to make this project possible. We stand ready to support Jordan in its energy transition and will look to increase our presence in the Kingdom through the development of further clean energy projects that will drive economic growth for the nation.”
Masdar said that financial institutions that supported the Baynouna project include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), the KfW Group’s DEG, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Peter Ramsay, Chief Executive Officer, Taaleri Group, said, “This impressive project is a testament to the strength of cooperation between Masdar and Taaleri, two pioneers who have been active in the renewable energy field for a long time. We are proud to advance our common global climate change mitigation goals together with our partners and investors.”
Masdar also operates the 117 MW Tafila Wind Farm, which was completed in 2015 – the first commercial utility-scale wind project in the Middle East. In November 2022, Masdar signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jordan to explore the development of a further 2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy projects in the country.
