Ammon News - More than 460,000 people benefited from the Energy and Minirela Resources Ministry's Energy Promotion and Consumption Efficiency Fund's programs, with a direct investment of about JD40 million and projects worth over JD100 million, the fund's CEO Rasmi Hamza said on Saturday.

He told a session on the economic and social impact of the Renewable Energy Fund's programs on development, held at the Jordan Economic Forum, that the fund, established in 2014 with an initial government capital of JD25 million, has become a leader in the energy transition process in Jordan through programs targeting households and economic sectors.

The achievements, so far, have directly impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of families and reduced the energy bill in vital sectors such as industry, he said.

Since its creation, the fund has focused on three main areas: achieving a direct economic and social impact on citizens, reducing the national energy bill, and enhancing the competitiveness of productive economic sectors, he said.

Jordan launched its first large-scale solar power plant with a capacity of 50 megawatts, followed by 117 megawatt wind projects in Tafileh, triggering a wave of investments in renewable energy, he pointed out.

The spread of solar heaters in Jordan did not exceed 13 percent in 2014, he said. However, with programs bankrolled by the fund, the number of beneficiary families surged to more than 70,000, in addition to 8,000 impoverished households that had free solar systems, he said, noting that the goal is to install 90,000 solar water heaters by 2030.

The fund's programs make direct savings for citizens, as a solar heater saves JD20 to 25 per month, about JD240 to 300 a year for a family, he explained.

He also said agreements were signed with more than 250 local associations to reach villages and rural areas, enhancing the spread of these projects nationwide.

Hamza said the Fund's programs extended to all sectors, providing 630 places of worship with solar energy systems, as well as 15 public benefit institutions (PBI), 20 government buildings, and 33 health centers, in addition to 135 schools under a royal heating and cooling initiative.

The agricultural sector also saw the installation of energy systems in 240 farms, while energy conservation programs were implemented in 201 small- and medium-sized factories and 12 hotels through specialized energy audits, he added.

"Petra"