Industrial business owners seeking to reduce costs and carbon footprint are showing keen interest in a newly-launched energy efficiency program aimed at energy-extensive industrial sub-sectors. The program appears to be gaining traction, attracting a growing number of participants. An ongoing energy sector support initiative funded by USAID has developed the Energy Efficiency for Industrial Productivity Program (Kafaa). This program focuses on three specific industrial sub-sectors, chosen based on various criteria, including their potential for expansion, energy consumption, export capacity, economic and social impact, and suitability for energy efficiency solutions. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources data indicates that within a month of its launch in late February of this year, the program has already enabled industrialists to implement energy-efficient solutions and sustainable management practices. According to some industrialists who have implemented Kafaa-supported energy solutions, the program has helped them achieve a 90% reduction in costs. Expressing gratitude for the USAID’s support to Jordan’s energy sector, Energy Minister Saleh Kharabsheh emphasized his ministry’s commitment to providing all possible assistance to help the industrial sector prosper. The program will be executed in multiple phases spanning from 2023 to 2028. The initial phase in 2023 will concentrate on the food, finance, agricultural, livestock, engineering, electrical, ICT, chemical, and cosmetics sectors, while future phases will consider additional sectors based on market demand and potential for implementing energy solutions. The industrial sector plays a crucial role in the Jordanian economy, directly contributing 25 percent of the national GDP. The industrial sector accounts for over 90 percent of Jordan’s exports, which expanded by almost 10 percent in 2019, reaching approximately 140 nations across the globe. Jordan’s industrial sector comprises approximately 18,000 establishments, spread across all governorates of the Kingdom and employing around 251,000 workers, mostly Jordanians. This accounts for 21 percent of the total Jordanian workforce.
Source: Jordan News Agency