As part of the Wind for Prosperity program, Vestas and EP Global Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding today on bringing wind energy solutions to remote communities in the Middle East.
With today’s agreement, Jordan is set to become the first country in the Middle East and the second country globally to host a Wind for Prosperity project. Facing severe energy challenges owing to rising local consumption and limited domestic fossil fuel resources, Jordan and its energy consumers will benefit from increasing the supply of reliable, affordable, and locally produced electricity.
Under the MOU, Vestas and EP Global Energy will collaborate to deploy wind energy solutions to help improve access to electricity for communities that currently have no or only limited energy infrastructure. The first project under the MOU is expected to be commissioned in Jordan before the end of 2014 and will utilize the Wind for Prosperity hybrid solution to bring electricity to more than 100.000 people.
According to Efthyvoulos Paraskevaides, chairman of EP Global Energy, “The Wind for Prosperity initiative is a cost-effective and robust way to provide electricity from non-polluting renewable sources to those communities that need it most. We look forward to working with Vestas to bring this project to fruition.”
Morten Albæk, Vestas Group Senior Vice President & CMO, concludes, “This agreement is an important milestone – for Wind for Prosperity, the Middle East region, and especially for Jordan. Our partnership with EP Global Energy is gratifying example of complementary strengths advancing shared goals. Partnering with EP Global Energy will allow Wind for Prosperity to scale up and travel to new countries to the benefit of those living in energy poverty.”
The Memorandum of Understanding signed today further solidifies the collaboration between Vestas and EP Global Energy, building on the 117 MW Al Tafila project in Jordan, announced in December 2013.
EPGE is a privately held energy asset developer. Its mission is to develop, build, and operate a portfolio of power generation assets, comprising mainly a mix of renewable (Wind, Solar, Biomass) and base-load (gas, liquid fuels), in partnership with strategic investors. EPGE has a portfolio of projects at various phases of development in EMENA region. Please visit www.epge.com for more information.
Every single day, Vestas wind turbines deliver clean energy that supports the global fight against climate change. Wind power from Vestas’ more than 51,000 wind turbines currently reduces carbon emissions by over 60 million tons of CO2 every year, while at the same time building energy security and independence.
Vestas has delivered wind energy in 73 countries, providing jobs for around 16,000 passionate people at our service and project sites, research facilities, factories and offices all over the world. With 62 per cent more megawatts installed than our closest competitor and more than 60 GW of cumulative installed capacity worldwide, Vestas is the world leader in wind energy.
Wind for Prosperity, which carries endorsements from the UN and several global opinion leaders, is a new business innovation to address energy poverty with wind power technology and a unique, commercial response to the needs of humanity. As one of the biggest corporate initiatives to combat energy poverty and deploy green technology in developing countries, Wind for Prosperity is business as a force for good. Wind for Prosperity is proud to be supported by the following partners, without whom the ambitious vision of reaching more than 50 million people in energy poverty would not be possible: Masdar, the Carbon War Room, Econet Wireless, and Frontier Investment Management.
