Jordan is only "months" away from reaching its target of 20% power generation from clean sources, according to its energy minister Hala Zawati. Amy McConaghy / The National
Jordan is only "months" away from reaching its target of 20% power generation from clean sources, according to its energy minister Hala Zawati. Amy McConaghy / The National
Jordan is only "months" away from reaching its target of 20% power generation from clean sources, according to its energy minister Hala Zawati. Amy McConaghy / The National
Jordan is only "months" away from reaching its target of 20% power generation from clean sources, according to its energy minister Hala Zawati. Amy McConaghy / The National

Irena recommends distribution upgrades to help Jordan achieve its renewable targets


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Jordan, which imports more than 90 per cent of its energy needs, is looking to power a third of its energy mix from renewables and can significantly accelerate the deployment of clean energy from upgrading its transmission and distribution infrastructure, according to a report.

"Deploying storage, promoting demand-side management and incentivising electrification of heating, cooling and transportation" are other means through which the country can drive its renewables strategy, the International Renewable Energy Agency said.

The Abu Dhabi-based institution recommended these assessments following discussions with Jordan's ministry of energy and mineral resources.

In order to implement Irena's recommendations, "a strong partnership between the public and private sectors is needed", said Hala Zawati, Jordanian minister for energy and mineral resources.

Jordan is looking to become more self-sufficient in power generation by incorporating more solar and wind. Around 285MW of wind and 771MW of wind and solar power capacity was integrated into its grid in 2018. The kingdom plans to increase its overall capacity from renewables to 2.7 gigawatts by 2021.

Ms Zawati said last month that Jordan was currently deriving 19 per cent of its power from clean sources and was only "months" away from reaching its target of 20 per cent power generation from clean sources, she added.

“Jordan boasts significant renewable energy resource potential that if realised will reduce consumer energy costs, improve national energy security, create jobs and stimulate sustainable growth – boosting post Covid-19 economic recovery efforts,” Irena director general Francesco La Camera said.

The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
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Fixtures (all in UAE time)

Friday

Everton v Burnley 11pm

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Chelsea v Watford 5pm

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Monday

Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm

 

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Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg

Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports

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Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
The bio

Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

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It's up to you to go green

Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.

“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”

When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.

He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.

“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.

One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.  

The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.

Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.

But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.