Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Mohammad Hamed said on Saturday that his ministry had provided renewable energy to small enterprises at an estimated generational capacity of 29 megawatt, a tangible achievement that saved the treasury about JD3.5 million.

In a press release issued here, he said the ministry had opened the door wide for consumers to meet their electricity needs from solar energy and sell the surplus to the national grid.

The minister also said the government had launched energy efficiency projects in buildings housing public institutions, such as the Prime Ministry and at least four ministries and other public entities, to install solar cell panel systems on their rooftops to ensure a cheap supply of power.

He said those new systems would reduce the generational cost of the industries and maximize their competitiveness as well as the public sector's ability to attract investment in such projects that would eventually thousands of jobs.

Hamed also pointed out that Jordan is the only country in the region that had linked those projects to the electricity distribution networks in order to encourage citizens to invest in cooperation with the private sector. The minister said that the amount of renewable energy used by government agencies would double in the coming year since all appliances and equipment used in such energy-saving ventures are exempt from customs duty and sales tax.