The Sahara Forest Project is awarded EU grant to establish the first Sahara Forest Project facility in Jordan.
 |
EU commits EUR 750,000 to realize the Sahara Forest Project Launch Station in Jordan. Total funding for the Sahara Forest Project Launch Station is provided by EU, represented by the delegation of the European Union to Jordan, together with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, represented by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Amman, and The Grieg Foundation.
The Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) is the contracting authority and was responsible for launching call for proposals for the demonstration projects component, with an allocation of Euro 6 Million.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources hosted an official kick-off meeting for the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Demonstration (REEED) pilot projects on Thursday May 28th, 2015 in the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Dr. Ibrahim Saif and Her Excellency EU Ambassador Mrs. Joanna Wronecka.
“We are extremely happy to launch such a new opportunity to demonstrate the feasibility of green energy in Jordan” H E Dr Ibrahim Saif /Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources said, ” it allowed us to translate the objectives of the REEE programme from the original objective of enhancing the legal, regulatory and technical part, to move to visible results that can be replicated”.
 |
First Jordan facility
” The EU has positioned itself in Green Energy in its cooperation file with Jordan” says H E Ms Joanna Wronecka/EU Ambassador to Jordan, “we consider the demonstration projects a first step to show the EU-Jordan partnership with strong partners and integrating green energy within different important development sectors”.
“We are very happy to receive the EU grant for establishing The Sahara Forest Project in Jordan. I want to thank EU and the Jordanian authorities for their continuous support as well as the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment and The Grieg Foundation. Their important financial contributions will make it possible to realize the first Sahara Forest Project installation in Jordan”, says Joakim Hauge, CEO of The Sahara Forest Project.
The Launch Station will be the first step towards the realization of a full-scale Sahara Forest Project Centre in Aqaba, Jordan. The objective of this first phase is to demonstrate the technology under local conditions, to engage a team on the ground and attract relevant stakeholders for going forward. The Launch Station will contain Saltwater-cooled greenhouses, research facilities, outdoor vegetation zones, solar power facilities and evaporative ponds for production of salt.
Sahara Forest Project in Jordan
The Sahara Forest Project was first presented to His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2010. In 2011, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and The Sahara Forest Project in Amman, Jordan. The agreement committed The Sahara Forest Project to conduct a set of comprehensive Feasibility Studies in Jordan. The studies were financed and supported by The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The MoU also includes that the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority will facilitate 20 ha for the Jordan Centre and 200 ha for possible later expansion.
In June 2014 The Sahara Forest Project signed an agreement with The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Amman, providing funding for establishing a Sahara Forest Project Launch Station and related activities in Jordan. In August 2014 The Sahara Forest Project first team members arrived and settled in Jordan. The activities in Jordan prepare for construction of the launch station and explore new business opportunities.
The Jordan Centre
In parallel to constructing and operating of the Sahara Forest Project Launch Station The Sahara Forest Project starts preparing for the construction of the full size commercial Jordan Centre.
The Jordan Centre will demonstrate the economic viability of the concept and contain all the core technological components of The Sahara Forest Project. The size of the facility will be approximately 20 hectares, designed to allow for easy later-stage expansion of the commercial operations. The Jordan Centre will also function as a shared R&D, innovation and training platform. By bringing together local and international entrepreneurs, scientists, business and other key players in green innovation, The Jordan Centre will be a platform for research, innovation and training for sustainable solutions to the food, water and energy challenges in Jordan.
