Egypt’s electricity grid could limit renewable power ambitions

Egypt plans to boost its production of renewable energy to ease domestic electricity shortages and export green power to Europe, although sourcing the substantial investment needed to update its grid and fund new wind and solar plants could limit those ambitions. Government officials highlighted the country’s potential for green hydrogen as well as wind and solar power at a recent Egypt- EU investment conference in Cairo, Reuters reports. 

Egypt has signed multiple agreements for renewable energy and green hydrogen development and has ambitions to export electricity to regional neighbors as well as to Europe. However, analysts warn that Egypt needs to update and extend its grid to the locations of potential project to make them viable. 

Developing the grid for major scaling up and to accommodate the needs of green hydrogen could cost billions in the long term, according to the EBRD.