Currently, energy policy in Jordan is facing the challenge of having to cover the country’s electricity demand which is growing because of different factors. In its latest study, the joint research project MENA SELECT (MENA Sustainable ELECtricity Trajectories) evaluates different electricity-generation technologies against selected performance characteristics and stakeholder preferences. The publication is based on insights from the case study in Jordan.
The report “Energy for the Future” is based on the assumption that human factors play an important role in energy transition. These human factors include perceptions of different risks connected with the use of certain technologies as well as views about benefits and impacts generated by different technologies. An innovative methodology was developed to address these views. This methodology allows us to assess the relevance of Jordan’s electricity-generation technologies, such as utility-scale photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP), onshore wind, utility-scale hydro-electric, bituminous coal, heavy fuel oil, shale oil and natural gas against a set of criteria, which reflect environmental, social and economic components of sustainable development.
The results show that stakeholders prefer utility PV technology over all other technologies. The results also show that at the time of writing, the discourse in Jordanian society is dominated by economic rationality, such as electricity costs, supported by concerns about safety during operation and maintenance of electricity-generation power plans. The results also show a strong desire of all stakeholder groups for an opportunity to engage in decision-making processes on energy transition as the alternative of being simply compensated for the installation of electricity-generation and -transmission technologies does not appeal to local communities.
Please find the full text of “Energy for the Future. Evaluating different electricity-generation technologies against selected performance characteristics and stakeholder preferences: Insights from the case study in Jordan”
Source: Notification Bonn International Center for Conversion, 17.07.2018