Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Wind Country Notes

Jordan
Studies on Jordan's wind potential have been conducted over a period of years and have shown that the country has a rich wind energy resource. The average annual wind speed exceeds 7 m/s in some areas. A wind atlas has been prepared based on an assessment of the available resource which demonstrates the existence of a potential for several hundred megawatts of wind-power installations.

There are two operational wind farms in Jordan: Al-Ibrahimiya, with a capacity of 320 kW (4 x 80 kW), established in 1988 in co-operation with a Danish firm and considered as a pilot project; the other, in Hofa, has a capacity of 1 125 kW (5 x 225 kW), established in 1996 in co-operation with the German Government under a programme called Eldorado. Both wind farms are operated and maintained by the Central Electricity Generating Company (CEGCo). The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) has reported that feasibility studies are being undertaken on the possible expansion of both plants. Beginning in August 2005, data were being collected over the course of a year for the site at Al-Ibrahimiya. Subsequent analysis will demonstrate whether the plan will proceed.

The MEMR plan in place during the first years of the 21st century for the development of an IPP wind project was halted. However, having now obtained the necessary agreements and finance from the Global Environment Facility and the World Bank, the MEMR is again preparing studies in readiness for issuing tenders for the construction of a suitable wind plant.

In June 2005 the MEMR contracted with COWI of Denmark to undertake the collection and study of wind data at 15 sites with a view to building a wind project. The 5 most suitable sites will then be further studied, prior to a full feasibility (economic, technical and environmental) study on one of them.