His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday inaugurated round one of solar energy projects, which include 12 photovoltaic power plants to generate 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity, in an investment worth more than JD400 million.

Round one includes a solar park that extends over 5 square kilometres in the Maan Development Area, encompassing 10 projects with a generation capacity of 170MW, while the Aqaba Special Economic Zone is home to the 11th power plant, which has a capacity of 10MW. The 12th plant is in Mafraq governorate’s Hosha area and has a capacity of 20MW.

The JD350 million solar park is the largest commercial project of its kind in the region and offers more than 150 job opportunities.

During the inauguration ceremony—organised in Maan by the EDAMA Association for energy, water and environment, in cooperation with the developers of the round one projects—King Abdullah was briefed on the renewable energy sector and EDAMA’s role in enhancing its competitiveness.

His Majesty was also briefed by the project developers on the stages of implementation and the technology used to generate electricity from solar energy.

Speaking at the ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Hani Mulki, the King said he was looking forward to visiting Maan again soon to inaugurate new development projects that generate jobs for youth and reflect positively on the standard of living for the southern governorate’s residents.

His Majesty also visited the mobile unit of the Renewable Energy Institute of Excellence and was briefed by its director, Yasin Husban, on the training programmes offered to youth to qualify them for jobs in the renewable energy sector.

The institute, Husban said, has secured 500 temporary job opportunities for trainees and some 115 permanent jobs at Maan’s solar and wind energy facilities.

The mobile unit offers training for young people in remote areas—such as Qweira, Wadi Araba, Al Jafer and Shobak—to build their capacities and qualify them to meet the labour market’s demand.

Local and international companies implemented the first round of solar projects, with international funding, including from the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the French Development Agency’s Proparco, Japan’s JPIC, and the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

Over 3,000 Jordanians were employed during the construction of the first round’s projects.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Royal Hashemite Court Secretary General Yousef Issawi, senior officials, and representatives of the institutions that invested in and funded the projects also attended the inauguration ceremony.