Khaberni - The world of renewable energy witnessed a distinctive Jordanian innovation that combines solar and wind energy to generate electricity in an innovative and sustainable way, making it available to everyone.
The IRIS project, initiated by Jordanian researcher Tariq Hamdan, offers a real solution to high electricity bills and the difficulty of installing traditional systems in buildings and residential units.
Researcher Hamdan said that most Jordanian families suffer from high electricity bills and the difficulty of installing large solar panels due to administrative restrictions and limited spaces; this prompted him to overcome this big challenge and look for an alternative that enables individuals to benefit from renewable energy through a compact design.
The Hamdan project and idea can save and produce more than 1500 kilowatt-hours per month, enough to efficiently power a home or a small project in a unit no larger than one square meter, by combining both wind and solar power.
Hamdan added that the IRIS system consists of two main components:
The solar part: which consists of 12 movable solar panels that automatically track the sun, equipped with built-in cooling fans that increase efficiency by up to about 40% compared to fixed systems.
The wind part: which consists of a fan that operates according to Bernoulli's principle, by compressing the air and accelerating it through narrow openings at the base, to generate power even at low wind speeds.
The system does not stop with the sunrise and sunset; it can also benefit from the wind; making it operate around the clock using two renewable energy sources (sun and wind) without stopping.
The system also includes automatic solar tracking (Auto Tracking) and a self-cleaning button for the panels; which maintains its efficiency without manual intervention, and the device is characterized by silent operation, and its practical design that is suitable for both residential and rural areas alike.
Smart design
Researcher Tariq Hamdan says that IRIS is characterized by several features, notably its ability to perform opening and closing operations automatically, and self-cleaning its panels, as it connects to an electronic application that enables the user to monitor performance and control the device remotely.
He added: "Compared to traditional systems - like its European counterpart (SmartFlower) - IRIS not only tracks the sun but adds wind as well, and is characterized by ease of installation, maintenance, and cost."
Hamdan overcame one of the main obstacles, which is the refusal of many neighbors or building owners to install traditional solar systems due to the required space or general appearance; this pushed the IRIS team to design an innovative vertical column that saves more than 80% of the space compared to traditional systems, and is suitable for small places or narrow roofs.
Hamdan confirmed that the system is independent and can be installed easily without the need for complicated permits or massive infrastructure, noting that no device currently exists in Jordan that operates with two renewable energy systems (sun and wind) on one square meter and serves 3 combined apartments.
Regarding the cost, Hamdan pointed out that if 3 apartments share the system, the cost per apartment would be about 1500 Jordanian Dinars (2116 US Dollars), noting that the system operates through energy storage or by connecting to the electricity grid, and the battery for storage is installed inside the residence, measuring 60x30 cm, confirming it is safe and does not make noise.
(The US dollar = 0.71 Jordanian Dinar).
Green Innovation Award
The project won at the Al Balqa Hackathon for Green Innovation, and was officially presented at the Jordanian Manufacturers Forum in 2025, where it won first place in the "Innovation and Technology" category, outperforming more than 114 projects from various universities and companies.
Hamdan stressed that IRIS is not just a device, but a symbol of a new idea, which is that energy is a right for everyone, and that big solutions can start from individuals, expecting that the expansion of these projects could put Jordan on the global map of innovation in renewable energy.
He explained that the system is currently waiting for official approvals to be offered in the market, asserting that the idea is his own, not affiliated with any company, and that more than 25 engineers participated in implementing the project that continued for two consecutive years.
