The Arab Renewable Energy Company Organization (ARECO) and Z-One Holding FZCO have announced joint solar plans in Egypt and Africa. In addition to a module manufacturing facility, they have also unveiled a 100 MW PV project. ARECO, based in Egypt, and Z-One, from the UAE, have opened a 52 MW solar PV module manufacturing facility in Cairo. It is located on the premises of the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI), parent company to ARECO, and was officially inaugurated by, among others, the Prime Minister of Egypt and the Minister of Electricity & Energy. A spokeswoman for Z-One tells pv magazine the production equipment for the facility was provided by Ecoprogetti MEA. "The first modules will be used in projects in Egypt, while export is also within the business plan devised by the partners of the facility," she adds. It has been built with expansion in mind, with the spokeswoman saying the company expects to ramp up capacity to 100 MW. The investment sum by the two partners was not divulged. In addition to the production facility, ARECO and Z-One have unveiled plans to install a 100 MW solar PV plant in the south of Egypt. It will be supported by a power purchase agreement. Equipment, meanwhile, will be supplied by partners including CSun (modules) and Chint (inverters) – both Chinese companies – with Juwi Renewable Energies working on EPC and Solarpraxis MENA acting as consultant. Developing the project will be ZT Energy, a joint venture between Z-One and French company, Tryba Energy. Source: Pv Magazine
