AMEA to build 1GW photovoltaic project with 600MWh BESS in Egypt

AMEA will also expand its 500 MW Abydos PV plant, currently under construction, by adding a 300 MWh utility-scale BESS. The developer will invest approximately US$800 million in two new renewable energy projects in Egypt.

AMEA Power has signed PPAs with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company for both projects, which are expected to create approximately 2,500 jobs during peak construction.

This is the second important news on the Egyptian photovoltaic and BESS market this week. Photovoltaic technology announced yesterday (12 September) that Norwegian renewable energy developer Scatec has also signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Egypt’s Electricity Transmission Company for a 1GW solar PV and energy storage project currently under development in the country.

The project will be co-located with a 100 MW/200 MWh BESS, and Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company will source power from Scatec’s upcoming project for 25 years. Since both projects were announced simultaneously, both AMEA Power and Scatec have signed up to develop the country’s first utility-scale BESS project.

“As the developer of the largest solar project in Africa and the first developer to undertake BESS in Egypt, our projects not only set a new benchmark in the renewable energy sector in Egypt and on the continent, but also demonstrate our leadership and innovative spirit in pushing the boundaries of what is possible,” said Hussain Al Nowais, CEO of AMEA Power.

“By investing in Egypt’s energy future, we are strengthening our commitment to driving positive change and supporting socio-economic development in the regions we serve.”

Utility-scale BESS will help ensure grid stability and scale renewable energy production

The development of industrial-scale BESS systems in Egypt is an important step in market development and will help ensure grid stability to cope with the recent power outages the country has experienced, as well as facilitate the development of the photovoltaic and wind power generation sectors.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 2023, solar energy was expected to have a relatively small share of Egypt’s energy generation, accounting for only 28% of the country’s installed renewable energy capacity, which in turn accounted for just 11% of the country’s total energy mix.

Egypt currently operates over 50 GW of fossil fuel-based generation capacity but has announced plans to install an additional 4 GW of renewable energy capacity by next summer.