Sharm El-Sheikh –Egypt and the UAE have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a 10 GW onshore wind farm in Egypt – one of the largest wind farms in the world. The MoU was signed between the Egyptian government, Infinity Power – a joint venture between Masdar, one of the world's fastest-growing renewable energy companies and Infinity, Egypt's main renewable energy developer – and Hassan Allam Utilities. It was witnessed by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on the sidelines of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh. When completed, the 10 GW wind farm will produce 47,790 GWh of clean energy annually and offset 23.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions – equivalent to around 9% of Egypt's current CO2 emissions. The project will be part of Egypt's Green Corridor initiative – a grid dedicated to renewable energy projects – and will contribute to Egypt's goal of ensuring renewable energy makes up 42% of its energy mix by 2035.
The wind farm will also save Egypt an estimated $5bn in annual natural gas costs, and help create as many as 100,000 jobs. Direct employment in the construction phase is estimated at around 30,000, with as many as 70,000 people being employed indirectly. After construction, around 3,200 jobs will be added for operation and maintenance. The MoU was signed by Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Special Envoy for Climate, and Chairperson of Masdar, and Mohamed Shaker, Egypt's Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy. Al Jaber said: "The scale of this mega 10 GW onshore wind project – one of the largest wind farms in the world – is a testament to the renewable energy ambitions of the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Egypt, and demonstrates Masdar's status as a global leader in clean energy." "Under the guidance of our leadership, the UAE has been at the forefront of positive climate action in the region – and globally, as reflected in the recent US-UAE Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE). The UAE and Masdar will continue to support Egypt's net-zero goals, and we will endeavour to take forward the gains made here at COP27, as the UAE prepares to host COP28 next year." Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, said: "With this agreement to develop our largest ever project, Masdar is proud to bolster our contribution to Egypt's renewable energy goals, while strengthening our partnerships with Infinity Power and Hassan Allam Utilities and building on our relationship with the Egyptian Government.
We are confident this project will help provide clean and sustainable energy to Egypt's people while ensuring the country meets its decarbonisation commitments." Mohamed Ismail Mansour, Chairperson of Infinity Power, said, "We are proud to be working on this project in association with our partners, enabling the Egyptian government to build upon their efforts to deploy effective solutions that confront the global issue of climate change. The project will enable the country to save vast amounts of natural gas; thereby attaining economic growth, reducing carbon emissions and providing greater access to sustainable energy sources, enabling Egypt to move forward in its journey towards becoming a green economy."
Nayer Fouad, the CEO of Infinity Power, said: "It has always been our endeavour to create opportunities where organisations and governments can make the shift to a more sustainable and renewable source of energy. We are confident that this project will greatly benefit the country and enable Egypt to take great steps forward on its journey to becoming a more sustainable and green nation. We look forward to expanding our portfolio of sustainable energy solutions that benefit not only Egypt but provide the entire continent with a clean, green future."
In April, Masdar and Hassan Allam Utilities signed two MoU with Egyptian state-backed organisations to cooperate on the development of 4 GW green hydrogen production plants in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and on the Mediterranean coast.
In the first phase of the project, a green hydrogen manufacturing facility will be developed and operational by 2026, able to produce 100,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually for bunkering in the Suez Canal. The electrolyzer facilities could be extended to up to 4 GW by 2030 to produce 2.3 million tonnes of green ammonia for export as well as supply green hydrogen for local industries.
Egypt enjoys abundant solar and wind resources that allow for renewable power generation at a highly competitive cost – a key enabler for green hydrogen production. It is also located near markets where the demand for green hydrogen is expected to grow the most, providing robust opportunities for export.
