New vital project for sustainable energy in Ma'an Development Area

The announcement was made simultaneously with a debate on 'Sustainability in the Middle East' and how the region can address its environmental challenges.

On that same day, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was duly signed between CEO of Badr Investments, Mr. Mohammed N. Bataineh, and CEO of Ma'an Development Company (MDC), Mr. Mohammed Turk. This agreement outlines a renewable lease of a 200-ha land over a period of 30 years in the Ma'an Development Area (MDA) for the construction of a concentrated solar power station.

This project is expected to be developed over a period of 3 years, specifically as of the day all required permits are acquired from the relevant Jordanian authorities. Ma'an is known to be one of the world's richest cities in terms of Solar Energy due to the abundance of sunshine in the region. This project is also expected to provide the Kingdom with a new and substantial source of renewable energy.

Mr. Mohammed N. Bataineh, CEO of Badr Investments, stated the following, 'In the scope of this project, we rely on Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) for the production of electric power which will place Jordan at the forefront in the field of renewable energy. This project comes in line with a scarcity in oil resources and an increase in cost. Oil prices are expected to soar once the world bounces back from the current financial crisis.'

He said, 'There is an urgent need to find alternative renewable and eco-friendly sources of energy. We cannot afford to depend on carbon based fuels as our only source of energy, as this might result in ecological and economic difficulties.'

He added, 'This project is expected to provide Jordan with the necessary amount of energy to bridge the gap between consumption and production processes in times of peak consumption. As for the rest of the times, we can export the surplus of energy to other countries in the region through our existing electrical network.'

On the other hand, Mohammed Turk, CEO of MDC, expressed his contentment towards this cooperation with Badr Investments in the implementation of a solar power plant in Ma'an Development Area (MDA) especially that the city of Ma'an enjoys 320 days a year of sunlight. In fact, this project is expected to decrease the cost of production for all industrial plants functioning within the MDA.

He added:

'This project will also support R&D activities in cooperation with Hussein Bin Talal University and the Skill Development Center. It is also expected to create new employments opportunities for Jordanian citizens and residents of the region.'

Badr Investments is a local project development company. It is also the leader of a consortium of regional and international companies that invest in the fields of solar energy and other technologies.

Consisting of four complementary clusters including a Residential Community, an Industrial Park, the Hajj Oasis, and a Skill Development Center, the Ma'an Development Area (MDA) is set to become a hub for development projects, specifically for the Southern Construction and Development Company. It is in fact a huge project covering approximately surface of 9 sq. km, and thrives to become a regional industrial and training center, as well as a religious landmark that houses pilgrims on their way to the Holy cities.

The MDA is also expected to become an integrated and prosperous hub offering its residents and visitors a quality lifestyle and a favorable working environment which will further help them to achieve their objectives.


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