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Jordan, Chinese Firm to Study Green Hydrogen in Aqaba
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes · Last updated:
On 14 September 2026, Jordan's energy minister Saleh Kharabsheh signed a memorandum of understanding with Yin Mingshan, chairman of China's Getting International Energy Holdings Co. Ltd., to commission technical studies for a green hydrogen and derivatives project to be sited near the Port of Aqaba. The scope covers renewable-generation options, seawater desalination, hydrogen and ammonia production, storage and port logistics; Getting International Energy will carry out a technical study at the pre-feasibility stage. The memorandum follows King Abdullah II's visit to China and related agreements with China's National Energy Administration, as first reported by Petra.
Key takeaways
- Who signed the MoU: Saleh Kharabsheh signed the memorandum on 14 September 2026 with Yin Mingshan of Getting International Energy Holdings Co. Ltd.
- Scope of the studies: The studies will evaluate renewable generation, desalination, hydrogen and ammonia production, storage, transmission, logistics and port services for a project near the Port of Aqaba.
- Deliverable expected: Getting International Energy is to prepare a pre-feasibility-level technical study assessing technical, environmental and social aspects and estimating hydrogen production costs.
Table of contents
What the memorandum commissions and who is involved
The memorandum signed on 14 September 2026 tasks the Chinese company with carrying out technical and economic studies that will determine whether Jordan advances from planning to project development. The named parties are Saleh Kharabsheh, Jordan's minister of energy and mineral resources, and Yin Mingshan, chairman of Getting International Energy Holdings Co. Ltd. The studies are framed inside Jordan's National Green Fuels Strategy and follow bilateral discussions conducted during King Abdullah II's visit to China that included a strategic agreement with China's National Energy Administration.
Study work covers the integrated value chain: options for renewable electricity generation to power electrolysis, seawater desalination to supply water for electrolysis, production of green hydrogen and downstream ammonia, storage systems, electricity transmission requirements, and port logistics. The memorandum explicitly lists technical, environmental and social assessments plus an estimate of hydrogen production costs and land needs as required outputs.
Why Aqaba and what infrastructure the studies must examine
The memorandum requires analysis of siting the project at or adjacent to the Port of Aqaba, since a port-based location would lower export logistics costs for hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia. A coastal location would also provide direct seawater access for desalination, but the studies must quantify trade-offs including grid connection and transmission upgrades, whether desalination is on-site or nearby, land footprint and local environmental impacts.
Practical engineering questions the pre-feasibility-level technical study must resolve include how much renewable capacity is required to meet targeted hydrogen output, whether desalination should be sized for continuous electrolyser operation, and what storage buffer is needed to manage variable renewable supply. The study will also estimate hydrogen production costs so authorities can judge commercial viability and market access implications mentioned by Saleh Kharabsheh.
How the study fits Jordan's green-fuels agenda and next steps
Jordan has made green fuels a policy priority and is engaging multiple Chinese companies under its National Green Fuels Strategy; this memorandum formalises one such cooperation and moves planning toward implementation where projects prove viable. The Jordanian government will use the technical and economic assessments to decide whether to progress to detailed engineering, permitting and financing discussions.
If the pre-feasibility-level technical study finds a credible cost profile and manageable social and environmental impacts, the obvious next steps would be site selection, detailed engineering and tendering for construction. The memorandum makes clear the studies are preparatory only: a decision to develop the project will depend on the study outputs and on whether access to export or domestic markets makes the project commercially sustainable.
| Item | Named party | Role in MoU | Named output |
|---|---|---|---|
| MoU signatory (Jordan) | Saleh Kharabsheh | Government sponsor and counterparty | Agreement to pursue studies |
| MoU signatory (China) | Yin Mingshan / Getting International Energy Holdings Co. Ltd. | Technical study lead | Pre-feasibility-level technical study |
| Related agreement | China's National Energy Administration | Strategic cooperation partner (from royal visit) | Framework for broader green-hydrogen collaboration |
Case for and against project progress
The case for
- A successful technical study that shows competitive production costs and manageable environmental impacts could unlock export markets and private investment, accelerating project development.
- A port-side location near Aqaba would lower logistics costs for ammonia exports and allow direct seawater desalination feed, improving operational integration.
The case against
- High estimated hydrogen production costs or large land and desalination needs in the study would reduce commercial viability and could stall development.
- Technical constraints such as insufficient grid capacity, contested permitting or social-environmental concerns around desalination intakes or land use could delay or prevent implementation.
What to be careful about
- Hydrogen production cost risk: the studies must estimate costs; an unfavourable estimate would undermine project finance and marketability.
- Water and desalination impacts: relying on large-scale desalination raises environmental and social assessment requirements tied to coastal ecology and local water use.
- Grid and transmission constraints: the quantity of renewable capacity required could necessitate transmission upgrades that increase capital costs and timelines.
- Land and permitting exposure: identifying sufficient contiguous land near the Port of Aqaba that meets zoning and environmental requirements may prove difficult.
The bottom line
The memorandum signed on 14 September 2026 formalises a study phase that could determine whether Jordan proceeds to build a green-hydrogen and derivatives project near the Port of Aqaba. The immediate output is a pre-feasibility-level technical study from Getting International Energy that must quantify production costs, land needs, desalination and grid requirements and the environmental and social impacts that will shape permitting and financing. Only if those numbers and assessments demonstrate commercial viability will Jordan move from memoranda to project implementation.
What to watch
- watch for publication of the Chinese firm's pre-feasibility-level technical study; no publication date has been set.
- watch for Jordanian decisions on site selection and land requirements after the technical and environmental assessments; no date has been set.
Frequently asked questions
Who signed the memorandum and when?
Saleh Kharabsheh, Jordan's minister of energy and mineral resources, signed the memorandum on 14 September 2026 with Yin Mingshan, chairman of Getting International Energy Holdings Co. Ltd.
What will the technical studies assess?
The studies will assess renewable power options, seawater desalination, hydrogen and ammonia production, storage and electricity transmission, plus environmental and social impacts and land requirements.
What deliverable is the Chinese firm expected to produce?
Getting International Energy's pre-feasibility study will estimate hydrogen production costs and assess both technical and economic viability.
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