Mahmoud Esmat, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, met with Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power Country Development Director, Hassan Amin, to discuss means of enhancing cooperation and partnership in the fields of renewable energy and supporting the unified grid. The meeting comes as part of the national plan to add new solar and wind generation capacities to achieve energy security and a balanced mix. The plan also expands battery storage technologies to secure the grid and ensure a stable electricity supply
Esmat and Amin reviewed progress on Acwa Power’s 1.1-gigawatt (GW) Zafarana wind power project, with the first phase of 550 megawatts (MW) scheduled to enter commercial operation by the end of this year, according to a statement by the Cabinet. Also, they discussed the company’s future large-scale wind project south of Hurghada, with a total capacity exceeding 1.5 gigawatts (GW), that is currently in the phase of final feasibility studies and technical assessments before construction begins.
The talks focused on using energy storage technologies to boost renewable energy returns amid rising demand. These efforts aim to stabilize the grid and ensure a reliable electricity supply.
Esmat emphasized the government’s push to accelerate deployment of wind and solar projects, scale up battery storage solutions, and increase clean power penetration in the electricity generation mix, while curbing fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions under Egypt’s energy transition roadmap.
Both sides reviewed ACWA Power’s solar assets in Benban and Kom Ombo, southern Egypt.
Egypt aims to significantly raise the share of renewable energy in its energy mix in order to enhance energy security, diversify supply sources, and lower greenhouse gas emissions, in line with its national energy strategy and long-term decarbonization objectives.
ACWA Power is a developer, investor, and operator of power generation and desalinated water plants, with 110 assets in operation, construction, or advanced development across 15 countries.
ACWA Power has been present in Egypt since 2015 and expanded its operations with a focus on solar and wind projects, including three solar plants in the Benban park in Aswan.
It also operates the 200-megawatt Kom Ombo Solar PV plant, which entered commercial operation in July 2024, supplying power to around 130,000 households and offsetting approximately 280,000 t/y of carbon emissions.
