The Egyptian Company for Technical Services and Hardware Maintenance (SIANCO) has concluded the establishment of two solar energy projects in vehicle fuel stations, the Ministry of Petroleum announced Friday. Head of SIANCO Gamal Hassan said the project has been implemented in fuel stations affiliated to the armed forces and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC). With Egypt aiming to produce 20% of its energy using new and renewable sources by 2020, there has been much activity in the solar energy sector. Last September, Shaker announced the pricing for electricity generated by new and renewable energy sources for households and private sector companies, through a system that is known as the "feed-in" tariff. The feed-in tariff's purpose is to encourage private investment in the field due to limited resources from conventional sources of fuel, according to Shaker. The energy tariff has been divided into five categories, so that the price per kilowatt for households is EGP 0.84, but for 200 kilowatts of usage, the price rises to EGP 0.911. In 2014, Italy provided Egypt with an EGP 3.5m grant for the development of solar powered electrical units in the Fayoum governorate's Wadi Al-Rayan wildlife reserve, according to the Ministry of Environment. The government has also studied using solar energy to generate power to light outdoor advertising banners, instead of depending on traditional electricity. Source: Daily News Egypt
