Electricity company Voltalia signs memorandum of understanding for 3GW solar and wind power projects in Egypt

Voltalia has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity to collaborate with TAQA Arabia on the renovation of the 545MW Zafarana wind farm, creating a 3GW wind and solar power plant.

These wind turbines were originally put into use by the Egyptian government twenty years ago and are now nearing the end of their service life. A new upgrade strategy is needed to ensure that the wind farm can generate electricity again.

Voltalia stated that Zafarana is located 130 kilometers southeast of Cairo and is one of the strongest wind regions in the entire Middle East and North Africa region. It has abundant sunshine and is a typical feature of the Sahara climate.

Voltalia and TAQA Arabia have collaborated to develop a hybrid renewable energy solution that maximizes the use of land in Zafarana plots 5-8, utilizing wind and photovoltaic technologies with a total capacity of 3GW. It is planned to be put into use for the first time in 2028.

The strategic partnership between TAQA Arabia and Voltalia includes preliminary technical and environmental measurements and research for the establishment of a fully integrated green power plant in Zafarana.

The power plant will combine 1.1GW of wind energy and 2.1GW of solar energy, becoming Egypt's first project to combine these two renewable energy sources.

The research will focus on wind speed and direction measurement, bird migration patterns, solar radiation levels, as well as geotechnical, topographic, and environmental assessments.

This measure is part of Egypt's national commitment to developing renewable energy and promoting private sector participation to reduce dependence on traditional energy.