Global recognition: Jordan’s water sector wins top MENA energy award
The Water Authority of Jordan’s Energy Unit on Sunday won the 2026 Institutional Energy Management Award for the Middle East and North Africa, presented by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), in recognition of its efforts to institutionalize energy management and improve energy efficiency across Jordan’s water sector, Petra reports.
Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Saud described the achievement as a "major milestone" that showcases Jordan’s regional leadership in sustainable energy management across its water infrastructure. He noted that the award reflects the sector's success in building a pioneering institutional model that operates according to global best practices and standardizes energy governance across all facilities.
He said the award supports the goals of Jordan's National Water Strategy 2023-2040, which identifies energy efficiency as a priority since the water sector accounts for about 15 percent of the country's total electricity consumption. Abu Saud added that Jordan aims to increase renewable energy's share of the sector's power use to 40 percent by 2040 while advancing the Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) Nexus approach.
Several core initiatives drove the recognition, starting with the establishment of a sector-wide energy management system grounded in international ISO 50001 standards. The system includes policies, procedures, governance frameworks, internal audits, performance indicators and continuous improvement mechanisms, making energy management an integral part of the sector’s administrative and operational processes.
To support this framework, the unit rolled out the Water and Energy Data Management System (WE-DMS), a digital platform that monitors power consumption to enable data-driven operational decisions.
Beyond data tracking, the unit has spearheaded critical technical advancements to strengthen strategic energy planning across the water sector. This includes developing comprehensive, investment-ready roadmaps for both solar energy implementation and energy efficiency, as well as conducting a sectoral study on load management and time-shifting to take advantage of optimal electricity tariffs.
By introducing energy storage applications and updating technical specifications for water and wastewater equipment, the ministry has integrated international Measurement and Verification (M&V) methodologies and transitioned to Life-Cycle Cost (LCC) assessments to maximize the financial and operational value of all future infrastructure investments.
To sustain these institutional capabilities, the minister explained that specialized training and qualification programs were introduced to upskill utility personnel. This effort has successfully certified Water Authority and water company staff with accredited international professional credentials in energy auditing, management, and verification from prestigious global bodies.
Abu Saud also highlighted the role of cross-sector collaboration in advancing sustainable resource management, noting that the unit’s efforts have strengthened coordination between the water and energy sectors and supported partnerships with national institutions, donors and international organizations. He said these efforts have reinforced the integration of national water and energy policies, supported Jordan’s transition toward a green economy and digital transformation, and contributed to enhancing water and energy security, reducing carbon emissions and improving the sustainability of strategic projects in line with international best practices.
Earlier, it was reported that Jordan and Azerbaijan are expanding energy cooperation.
