Over the end of the week, Sharm el Sheikh opened its first ever solar energy plant. Intro Energy, Schneider Electric and GILA AlTawakol Electric, alongside South Sinai’s Governor Major General Khaled Fouda, launched Sharm el Sheikh’s solar power plant and solar park’s first phase.
The solar park and plant is planned to be a 40MW facility. The plant’s first phase brings 5MW online, which will provide green energy to 2k+ homes, reducing annual carbon emissions by 3k tons. Members of the team behind the project stressed that the plant will not only power Sharm el Sheikh, but is planned to provide green power to all of Egypt as part of the government’s push to generate 20% of power as green energy by 2022.
“The inauguration of our Sharm El Sheikh solar power plant represents Intro Energy’s first foray into the renewable energy universe,” said Mamdouh Abbas, Chairman of Intro Group.
“These 5 MWs coming online today are the first steps toward the construction of a comprehensive, large-scale presence as a platform for renewable energy solutions in the region…”
Designs for the expansion of the solar park are already being drawn up for the rest of the 35MW.
“We are proud of our involvement in the development of the South Sinai governorate’s first solar power plant. We have created real value for stakeholders while continuing to emerge as a player in new technological frontiers,” said Walid Sheta, Chairman of Schneider Electric Egypt and Cluster President of Schneider Electric Egypt, North East Africa (NEA) and Levant. “Over the coming period, Schneider will further contribute its expertise in augmenting capacity at the plant to 40 MW. We are fully committed to helping Egypt generate a significant share of its electricity from renewables and clean sources by 2022, a commitment stemming from our support for the dictates of the Paris Climate Accord.”
Intro Energy was the project’s lead developer, responsible for managing the development and disposition of the site, with GILA AlTawakol Electric as co-developer on the project and Schneider Electric as technical partner.
We talked to Reem Zaki, Schneider Electric’s NEA and Levant Marketing Communication Director on how the company is helping encourage more people to be sustainable.
“Schneider Electric shows the ordinary customer the benefits of energy-saving solutions. We display both the short-term and long-term benefits of sustainable practices…If the world is going to become more sustainable, we all need to know how much energy we’re using and how to use energy more intelligently.”
Across buildings, data centers, industry, and infrastructure, we’re equipping the world with connected solutions that increase operational and energy efficiency — and make sustainability a reality.
“EcoStruxure is our IoT-enabled, plug-and-play, open, interoperable architecture and platform… that allows for up to 50% carbon footprint optimization and up to 80% engineering costs and time optimization. Schneider Electric offers a cleaner, more sustainable life for the everyday man and the opportunity to reap the full benefits of digitization and energy management,” she told us.
She noted her excitement about the project as a great step in their mission to help Egypt use more green energy as well as “to be a part of such a successful endeavour that helps consolidates Schneider Electric’s reputation as one that is synonymous with sustainability and innovation.”
“…Digitization and connectivity are at the core of our DNA and our mission is the digital transformation of energy management. This project is a perfect example of how we are always pushing our consumers towards this digital transformation and setting the course of energy innovation and digitization in Egypt…” Zaki said when asked about how the project strengthened the brand’s positioning in the energy transformation business.
When asked to comment on how else is the company showing its commitment to sustainability, Zaki stated,
A leading brand translates what is relevant in today’s world and sustainability is arguably one of the most important topics today. Incorporating sustainability as a business practice will not only increase a company’s brand value, but it will guarantee a long life for the business.
“At Schneider Electric, sustainability is an integral part of our philosophy. It impacts our brand from the inside out. We believe that access to energy is a fundamental right and that sustainability is the only way forward in successfully and efficiently ensuring this right for people everywhere. We are committed to providing innovative solutions that empower our own sustainability journey and help the world to overcome the energy paradox (the world must find a way to bring energy-poor populations access to energy while simultaneously fighting climate change).
…We are empowering our partners and customers to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future in buildings, industry, data centers, and the grid. Our commitment to sustainability has affected our company at every level and has become the backbone of everything we do as an organization.”
The solar is currently active, and is already providing energy to villages and various homes across the country.
GILA AlTawakol Electric Chairman of the Board, Mr. Mohamed Amr Tawakol, stated, “our hard work on this solar facility has paid off in a tangible way for many local families and businesses, and our continued development work on the station will allow us to benefit thousands more…”