Egypt’s First Solar Cell Power Plant to Be Built in Hurghada

In a spot of energetic news, Egypt’s New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) has just signed a soft loan agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) worth JPY 11.3 billion (a bit over $106 million or EGP 1.87 billion) to set up the country’s very first photovoltaic power plant; storing upwards of 20 Megawatts of solar energy. The plant will be situated in Hurghada, and will utilise an array of batteries to store accrued energy, to be used during peak hours as well as to supply the national energy network during nighttime.

According to the Executive President of the NREA, Mohammed al-Khatay, the project is the very first of its kind to be established in Egypt, further adding that a completely eco-friendly information center - relying completely on renewable energy from the plant - will be constructed in conjunction with the plant. Containing a litany of high-tech equipment and accoutrements, the Center will serve as an educational or training center for future workers in the field of renewable energy, for both the private and public sectors, in addition to building a spacious conference hall capable of holding up to 120 guests.

As it stands, the NREA is in the process of selecting a suitable contractor to carry out the project, through public tender processes, hopefully to finalize contracting in September of this year. The plant will be capable of producing around 32 Gigawatts once it sees activation mid-2019; saving an oil equivalent of about 7,000 tonnes, and limiting carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 17,000 tonnes.

Photo from Carl Attard.