Egypt signs MoUs to develop 2.7 gigawatt solar projects

Canadian_Solar from theglobeandmail.com

Egypt is on a spree to develop renewable energy projects. The ministry of electricity of that country has signed 56 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to build wind- and solar- powered power plants.

Cumulatively, projects covered by the MoUs would amount to 2,740 megawatts, Egyptian daily Youm7 has reported.

The 56 MoUs have been classified as follows: 46 for solar power plants with total capacity of 2,240 MW, 10 MoUs to build wind power plants in Gulf of Suez with capacity of 500 MW.

Of the solar projects 39 totaling capacity of 1,560 MW are to come up in Kom Ombo, and seven with total capacity of 280 MW are to come up in Zaafarana, Youm7 reports.

The ministry of electricity also plans to sign long-term power purchase agreements with the projects.

The new and renewable energy authority (NREA) of Egypt aims to satisfy 20 percent of the country’s electric energy needs using renewable energy resources by 2020.

Of this 12 percent of clean energy will be produced by wind power and 8 percent by hydro power and solar energy combined, NREA has stated.

The government of Egypt has already delivered the allocated lands for the projects in Kom Ombo “Bibian”, Zaafarana and Gulf of Suez to the investors, a report has stated.

Ajith Kumar S

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