Egypt - Potential for wind and solar power is massive

Mr Gianpiero Coppola VP Middle Eastern operation of Avelar Energy has stressed the importance of expanding renewable energy in Egypt.

Mr Coppola said that the potential for wind and solar power in Egypt is massive and called on the government to encourage private investment through tax credits and other incentives. He added that "If you cover a relatively small portion of Egyptian territory with solar collectors, you will be able to supply the power needs of the whole of Europe. The problem is that the investment in order to do this would be huge."

Mr Coppola said that Avelar would focus on wind power in Egypt first because it is cheaper and more developed than other technologies. But the greatest potential is in solar energy, he said, despite restrictively high investment costs. He added that "What we are trying to do here in Egypt is try to talk to the authorities in charge to find a way to make the investment feasible, profitable."

Egypt’s interest in renewable fuels spans more than 2 decades. In 1986, the ministry of electricity & energy founded the New & Renewable Energy Authority to vitalize the sector. But the pace of growth has not always met expectations. In 2007, New & Renewable Energy Authority said that it aimed for 3% of Egypt’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2010 and 14% by 2020.

In 2007, Egypt’s wind power capacity ranked 21st in the world, producing about 310 MW up from 145 in 2005. Still, this figure is dwarfed by the 3,129 MW generated in Denmark, 15,145 MW in Spain and 22,247 MW in Germany. Egypt was ranked just one spot above Belgium.