Washington, October 18, 2024 Engineer Amani Al-Azzam, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, participated in the activities of the workshop "Reducing Carbon in Heating and Cooling through Geothermal Heat Exchange as a Clean and Sustainable Solution" held in the capital of the United States of America, Washington, during the period from October 17-18, organized by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group.

The workshop aims to introduce the targeted countries in Central Asia, Turkey, Pakistan, and the Middle East to innovative technologies for using geothermal heat pumps through pipe networks. The workshop discusses the framework for future cooperation with the International Finance Corporation to implement pilot projects for grid-connected heat pump systems in the participating countries.

The workshop reviews the latest developments in this technology across the European Union and the United States and highlights the benefits of grid-connected heat exchange projects and how to successfully implement these systems in each country, with support provided by the World Bank Group.

Experts from the European Union and the United States of America speak at the workshop, as do companies implementing similar projects in the United States of America.

The project to expand the use of geothermal heat pumps in Jordan is seen as an investment opportunity that can attract foreign investment, create new job opportunities, and meet Jordan's ambitions regarding carbon emission reduction goals, as these pumps are characterized by high energy efficiency and reduce their consumption by up to 40% compared to traditional air conditioning units, in addition to reducing gas emissions and lowering their operating and maintenance costs.

The International Finance Corporation had already begun discussions with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources earlier this year on the possibility of expanding the use of geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling in Jordan.