Total Egypt commissioned Complete Energy Solutions, a specialised Engineering, Procurement, and Construction company, to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of 220 solar power plants with capacities of 60-200 kilowatts per station. "The feasibility study of the projects will be completed by 2020," said Mohamed Al-Haddad, business development manager at Complete Energy Solutions. He added that the study will include all required aspects of the planned solar power plants. Al-Haddad added that his company has multiple solar energy solutions and systems suitable for all areas, stressing that the study will determine the capabilities and systems to be used in the planned plants. It will also explore the possibility of using the net-metering scheme approved by the Egyptian Electrical Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (Egypt ERA) in 2013. Net-metering is a billing system in which individuals or businesses generate their own electricity using solar cells and feed the excess power to the national grid at fixed prices. Al-Haddad said that Complete Energy Solutions has recently opened a 20MW solar power plant in Toshka area for Masdar Clean Energy company with investments up to $25m. The plant secures the electricity needs of the farms located in Toshka, while it sells surplus production to the national grid in accordance with the net-metering scheme. Total Egypt targets to build nine new gas stations in Cairo, Alexandria, and the Delta during 2018. Managing Director of Total Egypt Ian LePetit said that the French company is focusing on expanding its network to reach the most important areas in villages and highways, and to provide better service to the market. "The company continues to establish service stations according to the highest European standards for building and operating the stations so that they offer super quality products to customers," LePetit noted. "In the coming three years, the company plans to invest in the fields of refining, distribution, exploration, and solar energy." He explained that the law regulating the gas market would help Total add more investments into the Egyptian market and allow the private sector to import natural gas to make use of the available capacities and facilities in the national gas network and improve the efficiency of their use.
