222 J. OBEID
time. Nevertheless, international organizations and foreign donors have
assisted in realizing the governments’ initiatives, especially in the provision of technical support and financing mechanisms. The early supporters
among the donors were mostly European countries. The involvement of
Gulf funds and institutes is witnessed in utility-scale investments, mostly
in Jordan.
Jordan’s commitment to clean energy was demonstrated in public
policies and regulations. The National Energy Research Center (NERC)
attempted to kick-start the sector in the 1980s when it started installing
solar thermal systems in various institutions. However, the lack of policy
instruments hindered the scalability of the project.
The sector was gaining momentum by 2011–2012 in Lebanon and
Jordan; solar photovoltaic systems in the range of 100–300 kWh, back
then considered of significant scale in the region, were being implemented. Renewable energy laws, policies, and actions plans were being
adopted. For Palestine, this took place in 2015.
Mid-2000, his majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, along with
a few visionary leaders, found the necessity for energy diversification
following the Iraq war. The “Updated Master Strategy of Energy Sector
in Jordan for the Period 2007–2020,” was issued including for the first
time an alternative energy chapter. The required investment in alternative energy, including nuclear energy, was estimated to range between
$14 and $18 billion, equivalent to $1.2 billion per year. 33 The discussions following the strategy revolved around mobilizing the private sector
and attracting international finance institutions. In 2008–2009, EDAMA
initiative was launched to coordinate the efforts.
The kingdom then issued law No. 13—the renewable energy and
energy efficiency law (REEEL) of 2012—becoming the first country in
the region to develop renewable energy legislation, which provides a legal
mandate for the government and a regulatory framework for the technologies’ deployment. The law permitted in its article six (6) any person
to submit a direct unsolicited proposal to the ministry or the council
of ministers in order to develop a renewable energy system in any site,
outside the sites being developed through public tenders. The law also
enacted the establishment of Jordan’s Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Fund (JREEEF), which has so far enabled the implementation of more than $70 million worth of renewable energy and energy
efficiency projects. The fund’s contribution has been $26 million while
time. Nevertheless, international organizations and foreign donors have
assisted in realizing the governments’ initiatives, especially in the provision of technical support and financing mechanisms. The early supporters
among the donors were mostly European countries. The involvement of
Gulf funds and institutes is witnessed in utility-scale investments, mostly
in Jordan.
Jordan’s commitment to clean energy was demonstrated in public
policies and regulations. The National Energy Research Center (NERC)
attempted to kick-start the sector in the 1980s when it started installing
solar thermal systems in various institutions. However, the lack of policy
instruments hindered the scalability of the project.
The sector was gaining momentum by 2011–2012 in Lebanon and
Jordan; solar photovoltaic systems in the range of 100–300 kWh, back
then considered of significant scale in the region, were being implemented. Renewable energy laws, policies, and actions plans were being
adopted. For Palestine, this took place in 2015.
Mid-2000, his majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, along with
a few visionary leaders, found the necessity for energy diversification
following the Iraq war. The “Updated Master Strategy of Energy Sector
in Jordan for the Period 2007–2020,” was issued including for the first
time an alternative energy chapter. The required investment in alternative energy, including nuclear energy, was estimated to range between
$14 and $18 billion, equivalent to $1.2 billion per year. 33 The discussions following the strategy revolved around mobilizing the private sector
and attracting international finance institutions. In 2008–2009, EDAMA
initiative was launched to coordinate the efforts.
The kingdom then issued law No. 13—the renewable energy and
energy efficiency law (REEEL) of 2012—becoming the first country in
the region to develop renewable energy legislation, which provides a legal
mandate for the government and a regulatory framework for the technologies’ deployment. The law permitted in its article six (6) any person
to submit a direct unsolicited proposal to the ministry or the council
of ministers in order to develop a renewable energy system in any site,
outside the sites being developed through public tenders. The law also
enacted the establishment of Jordan’s Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Fund (JREEEF), which has so far enabled the implementation of more than $70 million worth of renewable energy and energy
efficiency projects. The fund’s contribution has been $26 million while