Jordan will invest JOD 100 mn (c. USD 140.9 mn) to build a solar cell production plant in Amman, Petra News Agency reported on Saturday. Construction on the 130k square meters factory is expected to break ground by the end of the year. The government did not specify the developers of the project or the expected launch date for the plant.

Supporting big renewables targets: Solar and wind currently make up more than 20% of Jordan’s national electricity capacity. The country is expected to bring up its solar energy capacity to 2.7 GW this year from 1.7 GW in 2020. Jordan wants to have renewables account for half of its energy mix by 2030 in a bid to wean itself off fuel imports and push down carbon emissions. The country aims to slash 31% of its carbon output by 2030 compared to 2012 levels, according to its latest Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

And has new clean energy strategies incoming: The government plans to launch its long-term energy strategy in 2024, with incentives geared at boosting renewable energy, power storage, and green hydrogen production. The kingdom is also expected to announce its green hydrogen strategy this quarter, Assistant Secretary-General of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Hassan Al-Hayari said in June.

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