Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Through a private-public partnership that includes a consortium of local and international partners, the construction of the Jordan Solar Electric Vehicles Charging Pilot Project was kicked off today.

The project is considered it is first in the world that expected to reduce emission, save on the energy bill and new jobs.

The consortium which includes AllCell (USA), Nissan (Japan), DBT (France), MATRA (France), and Sun Phocus (USA), have partnered with Nissan Jordan and NETenergy, a Jordanian start-up company which is being incubated at the Business Park located at El Hassan Science City.

Technical support and collaboration will include the Royal Science Society and Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) who will provide necessary evaluation and feedback to the government of Jordan on the technical and economic feasibility of the project. In addition, an important aspect of the project involves technology development and transfer part through the training of NETenergy engineers at AllCell’s facilities in Chicago which is facilitated through a grant from USAID-Jordan.

Due to its ample renewable energy sources and forward-thinking energy policies, Jordan is at the forefront of the implementation of renewable energy technologies. In order to provide its citizens and visitors with the best access to these technologies, the Government of Jordan desires to develop public sector transportation technologies that utilize renewable energy as well as electric vehicles and charging infrastructure that promotes eco-tourism.

Representing the Government of Jordan, the Ministry of Environment signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last year with a consortium of international companies that works on electric transportation and advanced batteries powered by solar energy. The government’s intention is to procure 300 of Nissan’s Leaf electric vehicles by the beginning of next year. At the beginning, the vehicles will be used in public sector applications such as Amman Municipality which can be then expanded to others sectors if successful.

The project team will work closely with the Ministry of Environment to secure funds needed to establish the charging infrastructure with solar photovoltaic and provide electric vehicles and light electric vehicles (i.e. e-bikes, e-scooters, neighborhood electric vehicles) to familiarize the Jordanian society with such advanced technologies and to commence a study to expand the use of electric vehicles to include other regions in the Kingdom of Jordan.