Today, Suez Cement Group — a subsidiary of the Heidelberg Cement Group — signed an electricity generation agreement with Intro Power and Utilities with the aim of constructing a solar power plant at the Suez Cement Factory with investments estimated at EGP 350m. The project will provide a production capacity of 45 GWh of clean electricity, which eliminates approximately 22,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually or 440,000 tonnes over 20 years. The project aims to save electricity costs and contribute to reducing carbon emissions by switching to the use of renewable energy. The project is scheduled to install solar energy systems with a total capacity of 20 megawatts for the Suez plant, which will represent about 20% of the total electricity consumption of the plant. Mohamed Hegazy — Managing Director of Suez Cement Group — said that the economic, social, and environmental benefits of renewable energy are countless, available in abundance and at a lower cost, and represent a more considerate option for our health and the entire planet. "By switching to renewable energy, the foundation for low-carbon activities and energy security is laid without endangering the environment," he added. Hegazy also revealed that Suez Cement will continue the process of development in the building materials sector in order to achieve sustainability, which helps reduce electricity costs, highlighting the company's goal to reduce net carbon emissions to 400 kg/tonne by 2030, which is equivalent to a reduction of 47% compared to the base year of 1990. For his part, Omar Khorshid — Head of the Technical Sector at Suez Cement Group — said that cement manufacturing is a process that consumes a large amount of energy, and the company is working on studying all available ways to supply operations with energy from renewable energy sources. He stressed that increasing the consumption of clean electricity is a major part of the company's plan. The signing ceremony coincides with Egypt's hosting of the UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27) this month in Sharm Al-Sheikh. The construction of the solar power plant will start in 2023 and it will be operational in the first half (1H) of 2023 after obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals. The project is expected to be fully completed within two years and will be connected to the public electricity grid in 2H 2023. It will also supply the Suez plant with green electricity until 2043. Intro Power and Utilities will be responsible for financing all costs related to the project, including the management, operation, and maintenance of the solar plant's infrastructure. The plant will be built on an area of 360,000 sqm, which is expected to generate significant annual savings in consumption while improving supply reliability and improving the group's environmental impact. Mohamed Abbas — CEO of Sustainable Resources at Intro Group — said that the demand for energy and its prices are constantly increasing, meanwhile, climate change requires reducing emissions, stressing that all sectors must tackle these issues sectors in their daily operations. For his part, Hani Helali — CEO of Intro Power and Utilities — said "the agreement is an acknowledgment of the company's business plan." "Through the platform, we offer our partners the opportunity to become both energy producers and consumers through tailored and innovative solutions that can be adapted to suit decarbonisation strategies."
