Kharabsheh: A Jordanian-Norwegian agreement for cooperation in the fields of hydrogen, renewable energy, and oil and gas

Al -Anbat-Mahmoud Alayyat 

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Saleh Kharabsheh, announced today, Saturday, that Jordan and Norway have agreed to sign a number of memorandums of understanding for cooperation in the fields of green hydrogen, renewable energy, and oil and gas exploration.

This came in a press statement to Al-Kharabsheh following his return from a visit to the Kingdom of Norway by a Jordanian delegation that also included the Minister of Environment, Dr. Moawiya Al-Radaydah, and representatives of the public and private sectors and civil society institutions, during which the delegation discussed with Norwegian officials mechanisms for implementing joint cooperation programs to achieve the goals of sectors related to the security of energy supply.  And diversify its sources and sustainability in addition to making Jordan a regional center for the export of green energy.

Kharabsheh said that the delegation's visit comes to follow up the results of the visit of His Majesty King Abdullah II to the Kingdom of Norway last March, during which ways to enhance cooperation in the field of energy and climate change were discussed.

Al-Kharabsheh referred to a meeting between the Jordanian delegation and the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Tareh Oesland, during which the two sides discussed future steps to enhance cooperation, especially in the field of infrastructure for the sector and joint work with the aim of preparing a project for electrical interconnection between the countries of the Middle East and North Africa with European countries to be able to supply them with green energy at relatively low costs.  

According to Kharabsheh, during the meeting, the importance of benefiting from the existing infrastructure to transport green hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources was emphasized, which contributes to achieving countries' commitments to reducing carbon emissions and confronting the effects of climate change.

Kharabsheh pointed out that the visit included meetings and visits to companies specialized in the field of energy to attract investments in the field of renewable energy, green hydrogen, and oil and gas exploration.

In this regard, Kharabsheh said that he reviewed the measures taken by the Jordanian energy sector with regard to renewable energy projects and energy efficiency, and the studies that are currently being implemented in terms of developing the electrical network, electrical storage studies, and the shift towards smart grids, with the aim of accommodating more renewable energy up to 50  % by 2030, in addition to the investment opportunities available in the field of oil and gas exploration.

During a meeting with the Norwegian Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Aspen Barth Eddy, Minister of Environment Dr. Moawiya Al-Radaydah presented the measures that have been taken to confront the effects of climate change in Jordan, such as the climate change policy and the document of nationally determined contributions, which include raising Jordan's commitment to reducing emissions by 31% by 2030.

The delegation stressed the importance of the initiative launched by His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein during the COP27 Climate Change Conference (refugees and climate are interconnected) with the aim of obtaining Norway's support for this initiative.

During the visit, the delegation met the Mayor of Oslo, Raymond Johnson, and was briefed on the measures taken to reduce emissions and reduce energy costs. The measures taken by Jordan to reduce energy costs on municipalities were reviewed, and it was agreed to exchange experiences in this field.