Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met on Sunday with He Fei, Managing Director of SunRev Solar, at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital to discuss plans for localizing the manufacturing of renewable energy components in Egypt. The meeting is part of a broader initiative by the Egyptian government to partner with international companies and bolster domestic production of equipment for renewable energy projects, in line with the country's ambitious energy transition goals. At the outset, Madbouly emphasized the government's commitment to deepening industrial cooperation with global technology leaders to support Egypt's clean energy strategy. He noted that he has already held several meetings with foreign companies to evaluate proposals aimed at localizing key technologies and manufacturing capabilities. Walid Gamal El-Din, Chairperson of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), highlighted that the zone has recently succeeded in attracting several Chinese firms specialized in renewable energy component manufacturing. He reaffirmed SCZONE's role in advancing Egypt's strategy to generate 42% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. During the meeting, He Fei presented SunRev Solar's proposal to establish a major manufacturing facility in Ain Sokhna, within the SCZONE. The project, to be developed in two phases, will focus on the production of solar energy components. Fei explained that the first phase will involve the production of 2 GW of solar cells and 2 GW of solar modules, with investments estimated at $100m. Production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026. The second phase will expand production to include 2 GW of solar modules and 2 GW of silicon wafers, essential components for manufacturing solar cells. The total area allocated for the project will cover 100,000 square meters. Fei noted that the output from the first phase could either be exported or sold to the Egyptian government in local currency, to support national solar energy initiatives. Another proposed model would see SunRev Solar building and operating solar power plants using components it manufactures, alongside parts supplied by other firms within the SCZONE, and then selling the generated electricity to the government. Responding to these proposals, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Essmat confirmed the ministry's openness to further discussions. He expressed readiness to explore both the procurement of locally produced components and the possibility of long-term cooperation on power plant development and electricity purchase agreements. Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Madbouly requested that SunRev Solar submit detailed financial proposals related to its plans. He also instructed the Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy to coordinate closely with the company, especially regarding land allocation for potential solar power projects.
