Energy conservation policies in Jordan

Jordan imports almost all the energy required for its social and economic development. During the period 1974–1984, energy consumption grew at an average rate of about 14%/year, due mainly to growth in the national economy; but exacerbated by inefficient use of energy. To alleviate the burden of the energy bill on the economy, the Ministry of Energy has adopted a policy aimed at securing sufficient energy supplies at minimum cost to the economy. This policy has focused on improving the efficiency of energy-use and encouraging energy conservation in order to reduce the effect of oil imports on foreign reserves, reduce the impact of emissions of toxic gases on the environment, and the cost of additional investment in production facilities. The energy conservation programme was put into application in early 1985. The energy income elasticity during the period 1985–1988 has dropped from (1.4) to (1), which indicates a substantial improvement in overall energy utilization.