March 10, 2024 - Today, Sunday, the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources held a workshop on expanding the scope of the use of shallow geothermal energy for heating and cooling in Jordan, in cooperation with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and in partnership with the Dutch government.

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Saleh Al-Kharabsheh, said in his speech during the opening of the workshop that Jordan has achieved great success in exploiting renewable energy sources, and we seek to diversify these sources by looking at geothermal energy to help us achieve our goal of the essentially high energy use intensity index, but on the other hand, The energy bill is high, so considering this type of energy is worthwhile.

 Al-Kharabsheh pointed out that geothermal energy for heating and cooling purposes is used commercially in many countries, but it is still unexploited in Jordan, and at a time when heating and cooling consume a large portion of energy in the home, health, and tourism sectors in Jordan, the matter requires us to consider systems Surface geothermal energy as a proven technology to meet the demand for heating and cooling for various types of facilities, and this contributes to accelerating Jordan’s transition to renewable energy sources, enhancing energy security, fulfilling its obligations related to climate action and transitioning towards a low-carbon economy, and reducing emissions.

 Al-Kharabsheh thanked the International Finance Corporation for its initiative in encouraging the use of geothermal energy and supporting collective action to enhance dialogue about the potential opportunities and challenges for this, and its work in helping countries fulfill their obligations and reduce the temperature of the Earth.

 For his part, the Regional Director of the International Finance Corporation for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Khawaja Aftab Ahmed, believes that the use of shallow geothermal energy is an effective and sustainable energy solution for heating and cooling in Jordan and its potential in improving energy efficiency and decarbonization, and as a proven technology used in individual homes. Or neighborhoods and entire regions, pointing out that half of the total energy consumption around the world goes to providing heating and cooling for buildings, and the majority of this energy is generated from fossil fuels, and to achieve the goal of decarbonization, clean heating and cooling technologies must increase from 20% to 50% by the year 2030.

 He added that the initiative is important for Jordan because of the risks it faces from climate change, in addition to the fact that it is one of the countries in the world that suffers most from water scarcity. Despite this, Jordan has emerged as a regional leader in climate action, and has made great strides in its climate policies, legislation, and commitments. Today, about One-third of Jordan's electricity comes from renewable sources, with the state's plans and aspirations to increase it by 2030, pointing to Jordan's leadership in the field of sustainable development, which the International Finance Corporation witnesses directly over and over again.

The Regional Director of the Foundation praised the Jordanian government and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources for their commitment to the climate agenda, and expressed his appreciation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for its support for the initiative through the private sector development program in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The participants in the workshop provided an overview of the techniques of geothermal energy technology and the risks of its use, effective plans and policies for use and financing tools, presented the experience of the European Union/Germany and Switzerland, and presented the experience of the Supreme Council for Science and Technology from Jordan.

 It is noteworthy that the International Finance Corporation launched the initiative to expand the scope of surface geothermal energy for heating and cooling purposes throughout the Middle East, Central Asia, Turkey and Pakistan, with the aim of starting a dialogue with stakeholders in the public and private sectors and reaching a better understanding of the market opportunities and barriers to expanding the use of thermal energy. Surface floor in each country. The Foundation provides its advisory and investment services, global expertise and case studies related to the initiative, and also provides technical assistance and capacity building to identify project opportunities.