Egypt and Masdar accelerate 2,400 MW renewable energy projects in Cairo talks

Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Dr. Mahmoud Esmat met with a Masdar delegation in Cairo on Sunday, 30 August to accelerate the delivery of major wind, solar, and battery storage projects. The high-level talks focused on expanding the UAE energy firm's footprint in Egypt and meeting the country's targets for a cleaner energy mix. Gulf of Suez and Ras Shukeir Projects A key focus of the meeting was the 200 MW wind power plant in the Gulf of Suez. Dr. Esmat confirmed that the project is on track to connect to the Egyptian national grid by December 2027. Additionally, the parties reviewed the 1,000 MW wind project in Ras Shukeir, which is being executed by the Infinity-Hassan Allam alliance. The ministry statement also detailed solar developments, including a 1,000 MW solar plant in Minya featuring 600 MWh of battery storage. In Benban, a 200 MW solar project equipped with 120 MWh of storage is scheduled for grid connection by the end of December 2026. Strategic Energy Targets The urgency of the talks follows Egypt's revised national strategy, which mandates that renewable energy must contribute 45% of the total energy mix by 2028. This meeting, led by Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, serves as a direct coordination effort to ensure that private sector partnerships can bridge the current capacity gap. Integrating these large-scale renewable sources into the unified national grid remains a technical priority. Dr. Esmat stated that the collaboration with…