Energy Center

Global Conference on Renewables and Energy Efficiency for Desert Region (GCREEDER 2011) Under the patronage of the Prime Minister deputy, the Minister of Environment Mr. Taher Al-Shakhsheir Had opened the Third Global Conference on Renewables and Energy Efficiency for Desert Region (GCREEDER 2011) in the 26th of April, 2011. The director of the Energy Center at the University of Jordan Prof. Ahmed Al-Salaymeh presented the conference goals, especially how to attract Scientists and researchers from Arabian and foreign countries to exchange experiences in the field of the Renewable Energy, Alternative Fuel and Shale Oil. The conference was organized by the Energy Center and sponsored by the Ministry of Higher Education and local Jordanian Universities and institutions; The program had discussed in the past three days 100 scientific papers concentrated in the Energy Resources, the National Building Codes especially the Solar Energy Codes, Energy Saving in Buildings, Green Buildings, Development of Local Capabilities and Capacities in the Field of Energy and Renewable Energy and Combustion. The Prime Minister deputy Mr. Shakhsheir opened on the sidelines of the Conference the technical exhibition in the field of Renewable Energy which includes new modules for the technical services and solutions which will rise the optimal usage of deferent renewable energy resources. The conference sessions discussed the following topics. - Renewable Energy in Jordan: Study of the current situation. - Renewable Energy: from the local and regional point of view. - Energy Efficiency: Unlimited chances. - Eco-cities - Investment chances in Jordan in the Field of renewable Energy. - Renewable technologies - Project Financing - Sustainable policies. The outcomes and Recommendations of the Conference are: 1- In the area of renewable energy: a- Provide incentives for the dissemination of renewable energies, such as feed-in-tariff law. b- Provide tax exemptions on hybrid, electrical and any other energy-saving vehicles c- Increase public awareness on the importance of renewable energy, especially solar thermal and PV systems. 2- In the area of energy efficiency: a- Reduce the temperature of central heating boilers to be in the range 60-70 °C. b- Increase the temperature setting inside public air conditioned spaces to 26 °C. c- Encourage small and medium enterprises to conduct energy audits for their facilities. d- Utilize energy-efficient windows in residential and commercial buildings. e- Implement energy-saving code in buildings, solar energy code and encourage the use of green building guide. f- Establish data base for energy efficiency applied to local building systems. 3- In the area of alternative fuels: a- Enhance research in alternative fuels, including bio-diesel, bio-fuel, emulsified fuel and hydrogen. 4- Support research and development in middle and large size energy projects. The program was attended by experts and professionals from 25 international countries, the vice presidents Dr. Reda Khawaldeh and Dr. Abed Al-Kharabsheh, Faculty members and universities’ students.

The 3rd German Jordanian workshop on Potential Renewable Energy The 3rd German Jordanian workshop on Potential Renewable Energy was held in Jordan between the 18-20th of October at the University of Jordan and the Zeitounah University. The workshop was attended by tens of attendees that filled the auditoriums at both universities. The distinguished Jordanian speakers at this event gave speeches that provided the latest information about the current state of Renewable Energy Development in Jordan and the ongoing research at Jordanian Universities. Furthermore, there were several speakers from prominent Jordanian agencies. The German delegation consisted of several professors from Ilmenau University of Technology, Ilmenau, Thuringia, Germany. They presented their research and pointed out the possibilities of developing this research and technologies in Jordan. This event was characterized by the noticeable interaction between the audience and the speakers who provided an excellent opportunity to update both the Jordanian and German sides with the Renewable Energy practices and possibilities for implementation in Jordan.

Solar Cooling Conventional cooling systems consume high Voltage of electricity which reflects a high bell value for Jordanian citizens, this encourage scientists and researchers to find new methods for cooling with low electrical cost. Last year Jordan witnessed 15% increase in electrical consumption and demands for the cooling purposes during the hot summer The generation of electricity from the direct fuel and fusel burning will continue to discharge Green House Gases which will lead to global warning scarify and then atmospheric temperature and sea level will be dramatically increased. Conversion cooling systems will also contribute largely in the ozone layer depletion; the usage of Solar Energy Systems in cooling will reduce the Green House Gases emissions which effect the environment badly. Solar Cooling Systems work on water and electrical salt solutions which is economically feasible, friendly on environment and useful. For the importance and usefulness of this topic, Energy center had gathered a technical group from the Energy center, Hamdi Mango Research Center, Faculty of Engineering and Technology members to achieve this innovative project. Solar cooling project is funded from GIZ and the University of Jordan; this project will be executed in three years with a total fund of JD 56,500.

UJ's Vice-President for Scientific Faculties and Institutes, Professor Rida khawaldeh and the Director of the Energy Center, Professor Ahmed Al Salaymeh participated in a specialized workshop as part of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) project to transport CSP (concentrating solar power) technology to the Middle East and North Africa which was held in Cologne, Germany during the period from 29/06 - 01/07/2011, where UJ represented by the Energy Center is considered the local coordinator of the project. The workshop resulted in UJ hosting the next workshop at the university campus during the month of October next year. UJ will also establish a course on solar cells at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology for postgraduate student starting from the next semester. Representatives from Arab universities and research centers in the Middle East and North Africa as well as the German universities which are participating in the DLR project and the Desertec University network participated at the workshop. It worth mentioning that the project is entirely funded by the German Foreign Ministry and supervised by the German Aerospace Center and consists of three stages; the installation of a solar station at the city of Ma'an, as well as training Jordanian engineers on the use of this technology, and the preparation of educational materials specialized in this area. The next workshop will be held at the UJ to discuss the implementation stages of the project, where faculty members, researchers, engineers, professionals and postgraduate students will be invited to attend the workshop. also it will evaluate the educational material (co-developed by the countries which are participating in the project) at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Jordan.