Smart Paper for paper industries in Egypt has announced that it is cooperating with Norwegian company Empower to install solar panels on the roofs of factories as part of the state's plan to rely on renewable energy. The Norwegian company, in cooperation with its partner EPC – Gree Solar, announced the beginning of the construction of the first phase of a rooftop solar plant with a capacity of 4.5 MW for Smart Paper. This is Empower's fourth project in Egypt and the sixth in Africa. Vice Chairperson of Gree Solar Nick Blashill said that through such projects, his company — in cooperation with Empower — is saving costs and ensuring excellent environmental performance for commercial and industrial customers in Egypt. The plant that the project aims to implement will have a capacity of more than 8 GW/hr of clean electricity annually and will reduce more than 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and increase business profitability. Terje Osmundsen, the founder and CEO of Empower, said: "We are proud of and committed to collaborating with innovative companies like Smart Paper to deliver high-quality, environmentally sustainable, and cost-effective renewable energy projects in Egypt." He added that the project will demonstrate how empowerment by reducing the time and resources needed to finance projects of this type contributes to accelerating the uptake of clean energy production in North Africa. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed, the CEO of the Smart Paper Group, said that the company's goal in cooperation with its foreign partners represents a valuable addition to society by providing innovative solutions for waste paper recycling. He stressed that the strategic cooperation with Empower can accelerate the task of developing all current and future operations using solar energy, preserving the environment and creating new jobs. Furthermore, Mohamed explained that part of the company's mission is business sustainability and environmental management. Moreover, the company signed a 25-year contract with Empower to develop 4.5 MW of solar energy through a rooftop solar power plant. It is worth noting that the Egyptian government plans to increase the supply of clean electricity from 30% in 2021 to more than 42% by 2035, as solar power plants reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the need to invest in the transportation network.
