Egypt’s new prime minister, Ibrahim Melheb has stressed the need for solar energy development in the country, according to a report on Egypt’s state information service (SIS).
The prime minister called for the development of solar energy and the furthering of solar energy research and development during a cabinet meeting earlier this month.
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The prime minister listed providing basics such as fuel, education and health services for citizens, as well as security, economic development and combating traffic “chaos” as major concerns, and according SIS has committed to draw up a development plan to tackle the challenges facing Egypt.
Also this week, according to SIS, on Monday the minister for agriculture and land, Ayman Farid Abu Hadid called for the completion of a solar power project in Marsa Allam, a south-eastern town bordering the Red Sea – within one month. UK company RES Group is understood to be developing PV projects in this area, although PV Tech has been unable to ascertain further details of this project.
Egypt has approximately 300,000 people still lacking access to electricity, mainly in rural areas, and faces drastically rising energy demand while relying on oil, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
A recent report on solar in the Middle East and North Africa said Egypt was aiming for 1.8GW of solar by 2020.