Eco Factor: Solar power plant to generate about 100MW of renewable electric power.
Aiming to generate about 20 percent of energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020, the Egyptian Electricity Ministry has unveiled plans to build a new 100MW solar power plant between 2012 and 2017. The $700 million project will be built at Kom Ombo, near Aswan High Dam hydro-electric power plant.
The plant will be financed by a number of international institutions, including African Development Fund and World Bank. The project is designed to establish Egypt as one of the top generators of solar energy in North Africa, which is also touted as a potential hub for solar energy due to the low level of rain and year-round sun.
To achieve the 20 percent target pledged by the country, Egypt will have to dramatically accelerate the rate at which solar and other renewable energy technologies are being deployed. According to estimates, the country needs about 1GW of solar capacity along with about 7.2GW of wind capacity to meet the targets.
Via: Guardian
