Amman, June 23 (Petra) – Eastern Amman Investors Industrial Association (EAIIA), in cooperation with the Jordan Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF), held a dialogue session, themed: "Increasing Competitiveness of Jordanian Industry by Enhancing Energy Efficiency Programs in the Industrial Sector." The event tackled the current situation and opportunities for reducing energy costs in industrial facilities across the Kingdom.

During the session, held at the EAIIA's headquarters, its Chairman, Dr. Iyad Abu Haltam, said energy efficiency is a "key" pillar that precedes renewable energy systems in achieving optimal operational efficiency and significantly reducing capital investment costs by addressing waste first.

According to an EAIIA statement issued on Tuesday, Dr. Abu Haltam, during the session attended by industrialists and experts, called for a roundtable dialogue to bring together representatives of the industrial sector and relevant stakeholders to discuss procedural challenges and find joint solutions that benefit both parties.

In turn, JREEEF CEO, Dr. Rasmi Hamzeh, said the Fund has provided grants exceeding JD1.3 million to cover the costs of audit studies for 187 factories, achieving savings in their annual energy bills ranging between 40-60%.

Hamzeh added that limits on electrical capacity undergo strict technical and engineering guidelines governed by the instructions of the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission to maintain the stability of the national grid.

He noted the government's crucial alternatives, mainly the "time-based tariff" and the special tariff for the industrial sector, which have contributed to cutting energy costs by 20% for several factories that have "successfully" managed their consumption outside of peak hours.

As for the next meeting, he announced the JREEEF Steering Committee will discuss possibility of creating flexible exceptions to the grant conditions based on production volume to cover a wider range of facilities, particularly in the stone and marble sector and automated factories.

Additionally, the Fund presented a package of available financing solutions to the Kingdom's industrial sector, which cover interest and profits on bank loans for projects up to a ceiling of JD350,000, with the provision of full grants for energy audit studies.

//Petra// AG