Europe is moving quickly to clean up its energy system, and in the process is reshaping global energy investment and climate finance flows. This shift is opening a real opportunity for Jordan to turn its renewable energy advantage into a new export industry. Green hydrogen—exported mainly in the form of green ammonia and shipped to Europe—offers a practical way for Jordan to attract climate finance, grow exports, and support the goals of the Economic Modernization Vision.
The vision is clear about what Jordan needs: a stronger economy built on exports, investment, and productive jobs. Achieving this will require more than policy reforms. It will require new industries that link Jordan to global markets shaped by energy security, climate policy, and long-term capital flows. Green hydrogen is one such opportunity.
Europe’s main challenge is cutting emissions in sectors that cannot easily switch to electricity. Heavy industry, fertilizers, shipping, and back-up power all need clean fuels. Hydrogen and its derivatives are central to Europe’s plans. But Europe cannot produce enough green hydrogen on its own. Power costs are high, land is limited, and permitting is slow. Imports have therefore become a strategic necessity.
The European Union plans to import up to 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen by 2030, much of it in the form of ammonia, using existing ports and shipping routes. This creates long-term demand that aligns well with Jordan’s export and investment priorities.
Aqaba sits at the heart of this opportunity. With access to renewable energy, land, water solutions, and a functioning port, Aqaba can support large-scale hydrogen production and its conversion into clean exportable fuels. In early phases, projects could produce hundreds of thousands of tons per year, with the potential to scale toward million-ton capacity over time as infrastructure and demand grow.
A major recent development strengthens this outlook: the 30-year concession agreement between Abu Dhabi Ports Group and the Aqaba Development Corporation to manage and develop the Aqaba Multipurpose Port. This partnership brings international port expertise, investment capacity, and long-term operational certainty to Jordan’s main maritime gateway.
This matters because ports are critical to the hydrogen economy. Europe is investing heavily in hydrogen and ammonia import terminals, storage facilities, and pipelines linked to ports in countries such as Germany and the Netherlands. By upgrading port infrastructure in Aqaba—storage, handling, safety, and logistics—Jordan can connect directly to Europe’s emerging hydrogen supply chains. This lowers risk for investors and improves project bankability.
From a finance perspective, green hydrogen projects fit well with the existing investment and lending structures. They can be supported through long-term off-take contracts, blended financing, and participation from development banks and export credit agencies. Financing is also increasingly available for enabling infrastructure such as ports, storage facilities, and hydrogen logistics. For Gulf banks and investors, this means familiar structures: large-scale projects, predictable cash flows, and shared risk with strong partners.
Jordan’s advantages are clear: low-cost solar and wind power, direct maritime access to Europe through Aqaba, and a strong track record in hosting private energy investment. The technology is already proven. The real task now is execution. With clear policies, better coordination between hydrogen projects and Aqaba’s port infrastructure, and early engagement with investors and climate finance institutions, green hydrogen can become a new export pillar for Jordan and a practical driver of long-term economic growth.
