Sohag wind farm: 10 things you need to know

Egypt has designated 852 square kilometers of land in West Sohag for a new wind farm project aimed at cutting carbon emissions.

Orascom Construction, a major Egyptian company, is leading an international consortium to build the wind farm, supported by partners Engie (a French utility company) and Toyota Tsusho Corporation (a Japanese company).

The wind farm's planned capacity is three gigawatts, and it will be constructed in Upper Egypt.

The project aims to provide energy to around two million consumers and generate approximately 7,000 job opportunities.

Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker disclosed that the wind farm is anticipated to reduce carbon emissions by 6.8 million tons annually.

The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) and the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) collaborated with the Orascom-led consortium, formalizing an MoU for the wind farm's construction during the COP27 summit in November 2022.

The consortium, led by Orascom Construction, has already been involved in developing wind power projects in Egypt that collectively possess a capacity of 762.5 megawatts, as confirmed by Khaled El Degwy, the Executive Director for Concessions at Orascom Construction.

In June 2023, Egypt updated its Nationally Determined Contributions, outlining more ambitious goals for curbing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and obtaining the required funding to achieve these objectives.

The new wind farm is anticipated to significantly contribute towards the country's efforts in reducing its carbon footprint.

The project represents a collaborative effort between international and Egyptian entities to promote renewable energy generation and address environmental concerns.