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The population of the Greater
Amman Municipality (GAM) is
expected to double by 2025 due
to rapid population growth and the
refugee influx from Syria and Iraq.
As a result, waste management has
become an extremely urgent issue.
Jordan has insufficient waste
management planning, and so to
solve the resulting environmental and
health issues created by burning or
dumping waste, the TaiwanICDF has
cooperated with the European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development
(EBRD) through the Green Energy
Special Fund (GESF) to introduce
modern solid waste treatment
technology with sustainable energy
elements. The TaiwanICDF is co-
financing a loan with the EBRD to the
GAM to construct a landfill gas (LFG)
recovery system at the Al Ghabawi
solid waste landfill facility.
StrengthenWaste
Management Efficiency,
TurningTrash into Cash
This is the first cooperation project
on sustainable resources between
the EBRD and the TaiwanICDF in the
southern and eastern Mediterranean
region. The agreement was signed
in May 2015 at the EBRD’s annual
meeting, with the TaiwanICDF
providing up to US$ 5 million and the
EBRD providing up to US$ 13 million
in funding.
The electricity generated from the
LFG system introduced by the project
will be delivered to the national
grid, reducing the dependency on
imported fuel while resulting in less
greenhouse gas emission to the
extent of nearly 150,000 tons CO
2
equivalent annually.
The mayor of Amman, Aquel
Biltaji, used the phrase "turn trash
into cash" to describe this pioneering
undertaking of using landfill gas
to generate energy in Jordan. The
timely investment of this
project has allowed the
GAM to turn trash into
cash and, as a result,
the municipality has
expressed its gratitude
for the support from the
TaiwanICDF and the
EBRD.
T h e G E S F w a s
established in 2011
with a contribution of
US$ 80 million from
the TaiwanICDF, with the aim to
promote green technologies. The
GESF encourages green energy
and energy-efficient municipal
infrastructure through concessional
financing. The concessionality
is determined according to the
volume of CO
2
expected to be
reduced by the project considered,
therefore providing an incentive for
municipalities to choose higher-cost
but highly efficient green energy
technologies.
T h e GESF h a s s uppo r t ed
LED lighting projects and small-
scale hydro turbines in Moldova,
Romania and Kazakhstan. Moreover,
in view of Taiwan’s strengths in
green technologies, the EBRD has
contracted Taiwanese consultants to
provide technical assistance services
in a couple of these projects to
ensure effective implementation.
Through cooperation with the
EBRD with both financing and
technology support, Taiwan is able
to help promote greener municipal
development in the EBRD’s countries
of operation.
150,000
CO
2
Emission Reduction
Annually
Tons
Green Energy Special Fund
GAM Solid Waste Project
4
Case Study