Minister of Electricity and Energy Ahmed Imam, and President of the Board of Directors for the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI) Abd Al-Aziz Seif El-Din, signed a cooperation protocol between the AOI and the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA). Imam stated during a press conference that the agreement came as part of a new strategic framework that the energy sector sought to implement, and which would increase the rate of new and renewable energy use in Egypt to 20% of total consumption by 2020. The protocol would also seek to make the production of renewable energy one of its top priorities. Under the protocol, equipment used to produce electricity, and other forms of new and renewable energy, would be subject to a number of tests, appraisals and performance evaluations in order to measure their environmental and logistical feasibility of such facilities. The protocol would also seek to review suggestions made for the creation and establishment of new energy projects run jointly by the NREA and the AOI. The two organisations would also cooperate in conducting research activities to test new technology and determine the extent to which it would be suitable for local operating environments. Methods to increase productivity of such technology, in addition to ways to increase and seek out new investment, would also be studied as part of the protocol. Imam added that a committee would soon be formed consisting of members from both organisations to oversee and review the implementation of the agreement's contents. Seif El-Din said that both organisations sought to increase electrical output from new and renewable energy sources by modernising and updating the country's wind turbines and photovoltaic plant facilities, the latter of which operates at 600 kilowatts. Both types of renewable energy source were connected to Egypt's national electrical grid in 2010.
