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The Minister of Energy visits the Jordanian German Excellence Centre for Solar Energy of the National for Employment and Training Company (NET) in Al-Mafraq
To check on Orange Jordan’s Solar Project The Minister of Energy visits the Jordanian German Excellence Centre for Solar Energy of the National for Employment and Training Company (NET) in Al-Mafraq
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources H.E. Hala Zawati visited on Tuesday morning the Jordanian German Excellence Centre for Solar Energy of the National for Employment and Training Company (NET) in Al-Mafraq.
The Minister was welcomed by the Center’s Acting Manager, Eng. Mohammad Al-Laimoun, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Orange Jordan, Dr. Shabib Ammari and Deputy Chief Executive Officer/Chief Financial and Strategy Officer at Orange Jordan, Raslan Deiranieh.
At the beginning of the visit, the Minister listened to a brief about the Center and its role in the training and preparing of the youth living in the area, in the fields of solar energy. This was presented by Sami Abu Rosa, a representative of ECON company, which was contracted by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to provide the Center of Excellence with the necessary international support that would contribute to its development, while offering training programs that are in line with international standards, and developing the Center to serve residents of that area, becoming a specialized Center in solar energy in Jordan.
The Minister and the accompanying delegation toured the Center's sections and observed the training programs offered at its various workshops. She also visited the Jordan Solar Energy project that is located next to the Center, while the supervisors presented the project.
The Minister praised the exemplary cooperation and partnership between the supporting parties of the Center of Excellence and affirmed the importance of cooperation and resolute efforts of both, public and private sectors, while focusing on vocational training in a way that falls in line with the energy strategy represented by the Ministry.
Minister Zawati expressed her happiness regarding the percentage of females that are being trained in solar energy at the Center, pointing out the importance of the Ministry's project to install solar energy devices for families that are benefiting from the National Aid Fund through rural villas, where 12 thousand families will be covered during 2019 and seven thousand families starting from 2020, in order to reach all beneficiaries of the National Aid Fund, amounting to 100 thousand families.
She said that the Ministry will require companies involved in installing solar cells for the beneficiaries of the National Aid Fund, to train the graduates of the Center of Excellence for Solar Energy on these projects.
Zawati affirmed the importance of CSR projects, with the Center being one of them that are being implemented by the private sector to prepare the youth in the community to enter the local labor market, and announced the Ministry’s support of the Center.
Minister Zawati also pointed out that the Ministry will achieve its desired goal in the energy strategy by 2020, where 20% of electricity will be generated from renewable sources.
From his part, Dr. Ammari said that the company began to reap the benefits of its investment in renewable energy through its own electricity-generating project, which aims to accomplish His Majesty’s vision regarding the country’s national energy strategy, and increase the percentage of local renewable energy throughout all energy sources, as it has a positive impact on the environment and local community.
He clarified that the company was able to benefit from solar energy to generate a big portion of its current energy needs, which contributed to reducing its overall electricity bill, in addition to achieving its targeted energy saving. This project represents a clear contribution to the preservation of the environment in Jordan and through its implementation, Orange Jordan becomes the first telecommunications company in Jordan and within Orange Group to transform to green energy.
Deiranieh presented in front of the Minister, the stages that Orange Jordan’s solar farm project went through during its implementation. The company has established three solar power plants which have been implemented in cooperation with international and reputable companies in this field, the first located at its training center in Amman, the second in Khalidiya in Al-Mafraq and the third in Al-Mafraq Development Area, affirming that the project translates Orange Jordan’s vision in finding early solutions and global practices that have a positive impact on the community and environment.
He also stressed that Orange Jordan, and stemming from its role as a national company contributing to the development process, has offered a grant worth half a million JOD within the Orange Jordan Solar Project in Al-Mafraq Development Area, in order to establish the Jordanian German Excellence Centre for Solar Energy. He pointed out that this step comes within the framework of its corporate social responsibility strategy, focusing on supporting and empowering the youth, as well as enhancing their participation in the national economy, not only in Al-Mafraq area, but also across different governorates in the Kingdom.
He also highlighted the Center’s importance and role in training and preparing the youth to enter the labor market, by developing their abilities in new required areas, and providing them with the necessary skills according to the latest international standards and expertise, as well as enhancing chances of training and employment in order to reduce the unemployment rate while increasing the youth’s participation in the labor market.
It is worth noting that the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Orange Jordan provide support to the Jordanian German Excellence Centre for Solar Energy in areas of training, development and the provision of necessary equipment.
