Egypt launches new photovoltaic power project

CAIRO – 3 December 2017: In a conference on Sunday, Egypt has launched a new energy project entitled “Grid-connected Photovoltaic Power Systems – Egypt PV”, which is executed by the Industrial Modernization Center (IMC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Trade Ministry said in a Sunday statement.

A grid-connected photovoltaic power system is an electricity generating solar PV power system that is connected to the utility grid, and it consists of solar panels, one or several inverters, a power conditioning unit and grid connection equipment.

The new project is being executed by the IMC in light of the challenges Egypt is facing in the energy sector, IMC executive director Ahmed Taha said in his speech during the conference.

He added that the country has a plan to develop systems of solar power and renewable energy. The plan includes generating 20 percent of Egypt’s power from solar and renewable energy, and will be implemented until 2035.

Taha highlighted that the project targets the installation of the small photovoltaic cells, particularly the non-central generation plants, on the roofs of residential buildings, public institutions, small and medium factories and tourist organizations, in addition to establishing a center for technical support.

The Electricity Ministry’s first undersecretary, on behalf of the electricity minister, Mohamed Omran expressed his ministry's keenness on working on the new and renewable energy strategy, through which the ministry aims to bring 42 percent of the total energy consumed by Egypt from new and renewable sources, especially solar and wind energy, by 2035.

The Electrcity Ministry has signed a number of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to implement 32 projects in this respect, he said.

The Egypt-PV Solar System is part of the ongoing cooperation between UNDP and the Egyptian government aimed at achieving Egypt's goals in the field of new and renewable energy within Egypt's sustainable development strategy 2030, said Director of Energy and Environment Programs at UNDP Mohammed Bayoumi.

Along with Taha, Omran and Bayoumi, the conference was attended by Chairman of the New and Renewable Energy Authority Mohamad al -khayat, Head of Egyptian Engineers Syndicate Tarek al-Nabarawi and some representatives from the ministries of Electricity, Housing, Investment, Tourism, Environment and Trade.