Ashrsf AboArafe
Today, May 28, 2024, the wind farm was opened in the Gulf of Suez (Red Sea). The wind farm project is financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by the German Development Bank (KfW) as lead financing agency.
Under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and His Excellency Dr. Mostafa Madbouly (Prime Minister of Egypt), and in the presence of Dr. Mohamed Shaker (Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy), His Excellency Ambassador Frank Hartmann (Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany), and His Excellency Ambassador Christian Berger (Head of the European Union Mission In Egypt), His Excellency Ambassador Eric Chevalier (Ambassador of France) and Dr. Mohamed Al-Khayyat (President of the New and Renewable Energy Authority) opened the wind farm, which is located about 20 kilometers off the coast of the Gulf of Suez on the Red Sea.
It is worth noting that the wind farm in the Gulf of Suez can generate up to 262 megawatts of clean energy, thus supporting Egypt’s efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, it contributes to meeting Egypt’s electricity needs through environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy supplies as a basis for sustainable economic development and supports the achievement of Egypt’s ambitious renewable energy goals.
The total financing volume for the project amounts to 215 million euros and 3.1 million euros for technical assistance. This also includes a soft loan worth 59 million euros from the German government through the German Development Bank, in addition to a grant from the European Union worth 30 million euros, 94 million euros from the European Investment Authority, in addition to 41 million euros from the French Development Agency (AFD). .
The wind farm, which contains 70 turbines with a capacity of 3.6 MW each, is expected to generate about 1,200 GWh of green electricity, thus covering the electricity needs of about 400,000 families annually. The project will save more than 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Therefore, it represents a cost-effective, environmentally and socially acceptable expansion of renewable energy capacity, which contributes to diversifying the energy mix and avoiding carbon dioxide emissions. In addition to this progress, the wind farm has been prepared to protect migratory birds during their migration period through a closure-on-demand protocol.
Ambassador Hartmann also explained that “the long and fruitful cooperation between Egypt and Germany in the energy sector is beginning to bear fruit. The Gulf of Suez wind farm is an important example of how we cooperate with partners by taking concrete measures towards a just green energy transition.” This benefits both our countries because climate change It does not stop at national borders and brings Egypt one step closer to its goal of 42% renewable energy by 2030.”
It is worth noting that Germany has succeeded in supporting Egypt in expanding the field of renewable energies and continues its cooperation in the field of enhancing renewable energy generation and storage capacity, modernizing and expanding the network infrastructure, as well as energy efficiency and innovative topics such as green hydrogen. This wind farm is the third wind farm supported by the German Financial Cooperation after the Zaafarana Wind Farm (with a capacity of 150 MW) and the Gabal El-Zeit Wind Farm (with a capacity of 240 MW), in addition to the Zaafarana photovoltaic solar power station (with a capacity of 50 MW), and its rehabilitation and modernization of hydroelectric power stations in Egypt. . All initiatives aim to significantly increase the share of renewable energy sources and ensure reliable grid operation. Our active energy value is approximately €500 million. Of this, €258 million was allocated to the energy pillar of the NWFE program in Egypt during COP 27, which was organized in Egypt in 2022. 
