UAE, Israel, Jordan to Sign Solar Power Deal
US President Joe Biden’s envoy for climate, John Kerry, was in the UAE on Monday to attend the signing for “Project Prosperity,” a water for energy deal between Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
“This agreement will further efforts of partner nations Jordan, Israel, and the UAE to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region, and provide a new source of fresh water,” the State Department said.
“The governments of Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates today signed a landmark declaration of intent to build renewable electricity and water desalination capacity and address the threat posed by climate change on energy and water security in the region,” the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry was in the UAE to oversee the signing of a deal that would see Israel purchase solar energy from Amman in return for more desalinated water.
The deal is made up of two interdependent and contingent components.
“Prosperity Green” plans for solar photovoltaic plants generating a capacity of 600 MW to be built in Jordan, with all clean power produced to be exported to Israel.
The second, “Prosperity Blue,” is a sustainable water desalination program to be built in Israel to supply Jordan with up to 200 million cubic meters of desalinated water, WAM reported.
This declaration was made possible by the signing of the Abraham Accords, WAM reported.
