Mahmoud Esmat, Egypt's Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, held discussions with Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company "Masdar," and Ali Al Shammari, Vice President, during his participation in the General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation to support Egypt's energy strategy, including diversifying energy sources, expanding renewable energy projects, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The Minister and Masdar officials reviewed the progress of ongoing renewable energy projects, particularly solar and wind initiatives. They explored ways to expedite the execution and integration of these projects into Egypt's national electricity grid. Notably, they discussed recently signed agreements for solar projects totaling 1,200 MW and battery storage systems with a combined capacity of 720 MWh. Esmat emphasized the urgency of completing these projects within the year, underscoring their critical role in bolstering Egypt's generation capacity and ensuring a stable electricity supply, particularly from renewable sources. After the meeting, Minister Esmat visited the Al Dhafra solar power plant in the UAE, which has a generation capacity of 2,100 MW. He was briefed on the plant's operational technologies, its energy output compared to its full capacity, and its role in reducing carbon emissions. Details of the plant's infrastructure, including the number of solar panels and homes powered, were also discussed. Esmat highlighted that the meeting aligns with Egypt's broader energy transition goals, which are guided by the Ministry's action plan to rely more on clean and sustainable energy. He reiterated the country's target of increasing the share of renewable energy in its energy mix to over 42% by 2030, with a further goal of 65% by 2040. Achieving these objectives will involve increased participation from both domestic and international private sectors.
