Jordan’s first utility-scale wind project is set to begin operating in September, said the head of the company behind the pioneering project which aims to help diversify Jordan’s energy basket away from its overwhelming reliance on expensive fossil fuels.

 

Jordan Wind Project Company (JWPC) Chairman Samer S. Judeh said the 117 MW wind farm currently under construction in the Tafileh governorate will comprise 38 turbines, each with a rated capacity of 3.08 MW and some of which will begin operating imminently.

 

To secure financial backing, Judeh said a series of stringent environmental and social impact assessments had to be carried out. “The development period for the project was quite challenging. We undertook a very extensive environmental and social impact assessment in line with the standards required from our financiers,” he said. “The existing conditions in the project area were studied thoroughly, and the project design was modified extensively to minimize impacts to the area based on the data we collected.”

 

Judeh said several factors were taken into account when choosing the location of the wind farm. First and foremost, there had to be enough year-round wind to make the project viable. “The project needs a large amount of wind data in order to determine the appropriate turbine model and estimate generation amounts … The wind conditions were measured and recorded continuously for over two years. The results of the measurement campaign showed that the site was indeed as windy as we had hoped,” explained Judeh.

 

He added that one of the advantages of renewable projects would also be bringing much needed investment to the underdeveloped southern governorates of Jordan.

 

Judeh stressed that the fall in oil prices doesn’t mean that Jordan should ease off on developing renewable energy, particularly that oil prices continue to fluctuate.

 

He estimates that the Tafileh wind farm alone will save the treasury $50 million a year in what would otherwise be paid to generate electricity using diesel, heavy fuel, and gas. According to Judeh, wind projects in general generate more power than solar projects due to the fact that they operate on a 24 hour basis.