Governments across the globe have set various goals for renewable energy generation. For example, Egypt’s government has pledged to generate twenty percent of their energy needs from renewable energy by the year 2020. Many are pessimistic that the country will be able to meet these goals, however a new solar power plant may assist them in reaching the goal.
The country of Egypt is planning to build a 100 megawatt solar power plant sometime between 2012 and 2017. The plant is being financed by the World Bank, the African Development Fund and the United Nation’s Clean Development Mechanism carbon offsetting scheme. It will be the second large solar plant in the country after a solar plant being built near Cairo is completed this year. That particular solar plant will generate 20 megawatts of energy.
However, the government has concluded that to meet their twenty percent renewable energy goal, they will require at least one gig watt of solar energy capacity. In addition, the country is looking towards the opportunity of exporting solar energy to Europe, which would require even larger amounts of solar energy capacity. However, northern Africa is considered an ideal location for solar energy due to the vast amount of complete sun they experience. Therefore the goals may be lofty but they are attainable.
In addition to solar energy, the country is also focusing on wind energy. Alongside the required solar energy, the country is expected to need 7.2 gig watts of wind energy to meet their 2020 goals. Currently the country has only 430 megawatts of installed wind energy capacity. However, the World Bank has also loaned the country $220 million for expanding their wind energy capacity.
The World Bank has high expectations for Egypt. They stated: “Some of the world’s best wind power resources are in Egypt, especially in the areas of the Gulf of Suez, where at least 7.2GW could be potentially developed by 2022, with further 3GW on the west and east banks of the Nile.”
Despite the predicted capabilities in the country, Egypt is expected to have a difficult time meeting their renewable energy goal. This is especially true when the yearly growth of the country’s electricity needs is taken into account. Currently the electricity demand in the country averages a seven percent growth every year, adding to the burden of meeting the renewable energy goals.
