The Egyptian government’s policy in favour of renewable energies has just been recognised internationally. The Benban solar complex receives the Arab government’s award of excellence in the category “best Arab government project for infrastructure development”. The winners of this Arab award were unveiled on Wednesday 25th, November 2020 by Mohammed ben Rachid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Dubai, during a ceremony held online due to the restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Arab Government Excellence Award recognises Arab ministers and ministries for their “outstanding” work in support of governance and administrative practices in the Near and Middle East. The recently awarded Benban solar complex (1,650 MWp) is a symbol of Egypt’s commitment to renewable energy.
The facility located in Aswan governorate was built by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) such as Norway’s Scatec Solar, which produces 390 MWp from six solar power plants built in partnership with the insurance company Kommunal Landspensjonskasse (KLP), the Norwegian government investment fund Norfund and Africa50, the investment fund of the African Development Bank (AfDB) group.
The consortium formed by Elsewedy Electric and EDF Renouvelables, a subsidiary of the giant Electricité de France (EDF) also owns solar power plants in Benban. The same goes for Voltalia, Infinity Solar and Masdar, which has just acquired ib vogt’s shares in the 64.1 MWp “Infinity 50” photovoltaic solar power station within the Benban complex.
Jean Marie Takouleu