The World Bank and the Ministry of Environment of Jordan will co-host a conference on September 18-19 focused on the industrial and commercial potential of Concentrating Solar Heat (CSH) at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Amman.

The total global demand for heat for commercial and industrial processes far outstrips the global demand for electricity. The workshop will present solutions for meeting that demand through renewable resources which are ideally suited to the region and essential for meeting climate goals.

CSH uses solar energy to produce the heat and steam needed for industrial processes and is a clean alternative to fossil fuels. In areas where solar irradiation is high, such as the Mena region, there is immense potential for CSH.

Jordan is the ideal location for this first CSH event because the country holds a pioneering position in the Mena region on renewable energy. This is especially true of its early adoption of Solar Photovoltaic and Wind energy. Jordan’s investments in renewable energy have improved the delivery of electricity to the population created jobs and boosted energy security while contributing to global climate goals. Jordan’s experience with renewable energy is an example of what can be achieved by concerted government action coupled with private sector engagement.

Furthermore, two of the pioneering installations of CSH for industrial processes in the Mena region can be found in Jordan. Attendees of the workshop will have the opportunity to visit the two first CSH industrial projects in Jordan. The CSH projects, pioneered by RAM Pharma and JTI using Industrial Solar´s technology, will open their doors for the local and international attendees to visit their CSH installations.

The workshop will be attended by high level policy-makers from across the Mena region, as well as international finance institutions, CSH suppliers and industrial companies interested in adopting renewable energy in their processes. An award ceremony on the first day will celebrate the environmental stewardship of CSH first movers.

The Jordan conference event is the third of a series held under the World Bank’s Clean Technology Fund-supported Mena CSP Knowledge and Innovation Program (KIP) and is the inaugural event focusing on how CSH can provide a significant proportion of industrial requirements for the heat and steam needs in the Mena region. – TradeArabia News Service