Jordanians want to adopt renewable energy – pv magazine International

June 28, 2024 Edgar Meza

A household survey conducted by the German Research Institute for Sustainable Development – Helmholtz Center Potsdam (RIFS) found that Jordanians are overwhelmingly in favor of the energy transition, with 91 percent of respondents expressing support for the development of renewable energy sources in the country.

Jordan has exceptional potential for renewable energy production, and respondents expressed hope that the energy transition would create jobs, improve energy security and reduce costs, RIFS highlights. Support is particularly strong in areas that already use renewable energy sources.

However, the research institute notes that while government support for Jordan’s energy transition was strong until 2019, it has since declined.

Jordan is one of the most import-dependent energy countries in the world, with over 93% of its total energy imported in the form of oil and gas. “However, long-term oil and gas purchase agreements signed by the state-owned energy company have prevented further expansion of renewable energy sources,” RIFS said.

“Some studies also mention short-term concerns about energy security and the interests of geopolitical actors, in particular the US, as important factors behind the stalling of the energy transition. “Jordan’s energy dependence is widely perceived as a serious political and economic problem and contributes to the country’s growing debt.”

Silvia Weko, lead author of the study report, highlights the conflicting viewpoints in the country: “Jordan is an interesting case to study public opinion and attitudes around the energy transition because it has excellent renewable energy potential but an illiberal political system. Its energy transition was decreed from above and is now faltering. To date, little research has been conducted on nondemocratic contexts of this type. Our study contributes to understanding the prerequisites for a successful energy transition in the Global South.”

Together with co-author Esther Schuch Weko, she examined attitudes toward Jordan’s energy transition by surveying 320 households in four different locations and interviewing experts. The selected locations—East Amman, West Amman, Zarqa, and Tafilah—have very different social and economic conditions: West Amman is the center of government power and home to higher-income residents. Palestinian and Syrian refugee settlements are located in lower-income neighborhoods in eastern Amman. The city of Zarqa (population 700,000), north of Amman, is one of Jordan’s most important industrial centers. Fossil energy is a major part of the city’s economy, and an oil refinery is a major employer. To the south, the city of Tafilah (population 30,000) has major wind energy projects nearby.

Attitudes towards the energy transition were generally positive. Only 29 respondents (9%) disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement “Jordan should use solar and wind energy instead of fossil fuels”. Knowledge of climate change varied, but only 3% of respondents doubted its existence. Around 40% of respondents said that they or someone they knew had already been personally affected by climate change.

The vast majority, 83%, expressed the expectation that the energy transformation would create new jobs in Jordan.

The survey revealed big differences between communities. People in Tafilah, a town with a large wind farm nearby, were on average more supportive of energy transition and more concerned about climate change than respondents in Zarqa, where the oil industry dominates, and economically weaker East Amman. In contrast, respondents in West Amman, a relatively affluent and educated residential area, expressed strong support for renewable energy.

“Our household survey showed that, contrary to the opinions of Jordanian elites, citizens do have an opinion on renewable energy,” Schuch says. “An interesting finding is that respondents prioritized the benefits of the energy transition for the community over individual benefits. They hope that the energy transition will create employment opportunities and bring financial benefits to communities. Local environmental benefits also play a role, such as the water savings that renewables can achieve compared to thermal power plants.” Water scarcity is a serious problem in Jordan.

Policies must take into account regional differences

The study’s findings suggest that the Jordanian government should change its policy of blocking the expansion of renewable energy sources, the researchers said. Instead, they should make it clear that renewable energy sources can be used to solve local and national challenges, such as high energy prices.

“It is important that policymakers take into account regional differences and develop strategies to mitigate negative impacts, such as job losses, in areas with fossil fuel-intensive industries and which are unlikely to directly benefit from the development of wind and solar parks, which are likely to be based in the desert regions of Jordan,” RIFS states.