Ma’an Development Company (MDC) and Millennium Energy Industries (MEI), a leading Mena region solar solutions company, have signed an agreement to boost co-operation in the solar energy field in the South of Jordan.

The deal marks yet another pioneering step to attract investment and stimulate economic and social development in that region, the companies said after the signing.

MDC chief executive officer Mohammed Turk and Millennium Energy Industries general manager Hisham Mikhi signed the agreement.

As per the agreement, both companies will jointly set up a research and development centre for renewable energy at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University in Ma’an.

The move is aimed at attracting potential investors and industries to the Ma’an Development Area (MDA), by offering them viable and cost-efficient solar energy solutions, including photovoltaic technologies, and solar heating and cooling solutions.

MDA, which comprises four complementary clusters - a residential community, an industrial park, a Hajj Oasis, and a skill development center - is set to become a regional hub for industrial activity and a centre of excellence for vocational training.

Through joint efforts, they will fund and install pilot projects for solar cooling, photovoltaic heating and concentrated solar thermal power systems, most notably in the Ma’an Development Area, servicing residential, commercial, and industrial projects, and ensuring long term sustainability and economic development in this field.

Under the agreement, the skill development center of MDA will provide necessary training for solar technician installers, which will ensure that the know-how and resources required to manage such a technology are readily available.

Moreover, MEI will be assisting in establishing a curriculum at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, in the field of solar energy, initially focusing on solar thermal and photovoltaic applications.

It will also conduct a feasibility study to determine the viability of establishing concentrated solar power facilities for large scale power production in Ma’an.
  
MDC seeks to upgrade the Ma’an Development Area by providing a sound and sustainable offering to attract investors and industries that will stimulate economic and social development in the South of Jordan, said Turk.

'We are pleased to co-operate with Millennium Industries, due to their experience in implementing advanced solar technologies in large scale industrial projects. This step is essential particularly that solar energy is a viable energy source for the region, and one that can be easily utilized due to the region’s abundance of sunshine.'

'The MoU we have signed today sets the stage for a long-lasting relationship between MDC and MEI, especially in light of MDC’s concentrated efforts to promote the use of renewable energy in the South of Jordan,' he added.

Established in 2002, MEI is an international company operating in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The company is a provider of solar energy solutions for an array of medium and large scale applications for residential communities, commercial and industrial usage; ranging from hot water supplies for industrial processes, to steam generation and power generation.-TradeArabia News Service