Egypt has launched a tender for the construction of a 500-megawatt photovoltaic solar park in the West of Nile area, as it seeks to accelerate its shift toward renewable energy.
The state-owned Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) on February 19 opened a request for qualification for developers interested in building the project. Applications will be accepted until May 11, 2026.
The solar plant will be developed under an independent power producer scheme using a build-own-operate model. The selected company will be responsible for designing, financing, constructing, owning and operating the facility.
Once completed, the project is expected to contribute to Egypt’s target of sourcing 42 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030 and 65 percent by 2040. Authorities have not disclosed the estimated cost of the development.
Advisory support for the tender process is being provided by Synergy Consulting, Inc., which is assisting EETC in structuring and managing the qualification and bidding stages.
More Read
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is acting as financial and commercial adviser for the initiative, underscoring international backing for Egypt’s renewable energy expansion.
Separately, EETC is also advancing plans for a 1-gigawatt wind farm in the West Sohag region. The request for qualification phase for that project remains open until March 1, 2026.
Egypt has stepped up efforts in recent years to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, positioning large-scale solar and wind projects as central pillars of its long-term power strategy.
Egypt has intensified efforts to expand renewable energy capacity as part of a broader strategy to diversify its power mix and reduce dependence on natural gas.
Under its national energy strategy, the government aims to generate 42 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, rising to 65 percent by 2040. Solar and wind projects are central to this transition, supported by policy reforms that encourage private sector participation through independent power producer (IPP) schemes.
The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company plays a key role in this process by launching competitive tenders and facilitating grid connections for new renewable projects. International financial institutions, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, have backed several renewable initiatives in Egypt, providing advisory services and financing support.
Egypt’s renewable push builds on earlier flagship developments such as the Benban Solar Park in Aswan, one of the largest solar installations in the world, which helped position the country as a regional clean energy hub.
The government is also promoting large-scale wind projects in areas with high wind speeds, including the Gulf of Suez and Upper Egypt, as part of efforts to attract foreign investment and meet growing electricity demand while cutting carbon emissions.
Egypt has accelerated its renewable energy drive over the past decade as part of a broader plan to diversify its electricity mix, strengthen energy security and position itself as a regional power hub linking Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
More Read
The government’s Integrated Sustainable Energy Strategy targets 42 percent of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030, rising to 65 percent by 2040. Solar and wind are expected to account for the bulk of that capacity, alongside limited contributions from hydropower.
A central player in this transition is the state-owned Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), which is responsible for transmitting electricity nationwide and structuring competitive tenders for large-scale renewable projects. In recent years, Egypt has shifted from a feed-in tariff model to competitive bidding and independent power producer (IPP) schemes to lower costs and attract private capital.
International financial institutions have played a significant role in supporting this framework. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), along with other development partners, has provided financing, risk mitigation instruments and advisory services for multiple renewable projects. Their involvement has helped boost investor confidence and improve project bankability.
Egypt’s renewable expansion builds on landmark projects such as the Benban Solar Park in Aswan, widely regarded as one of the largest solar installations globally. Developed with support from international lenders and private investors, Benban marked a turning point in Egypt’s clean energy trajectory and demonstrated the viability of large-scale solar generation under public-private partnership models.
Wind energy has also been a priority, particularly in high-resource areas such as the Gulf of Suez and parts of Upper Egypt. Successive rounds of tenders have drawn interest from European, Gulf and Asian developers seeking to tap into Egypt’s strong wind corridors and expanding grid infrastructure.
The push for renewables comes amid rising domestic electricity demand driven by population growth, urbanisation and industrial expansion. Egypt, home to more than 100 million people, has in the past faced power shortages but has since moved to stabilise supply through large gas-fired plants and infrastructure upgrades. Expanding renewables is seen as a way to free up natural gas for export, support foreign currency earnings and reduce exposure to fuel price volatility.
Cairo has also aligned its energy policy with climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the share of clean energy. Hosting the COP27 climate summit in 2022 further underscored Egypt’s ambition to position itself as a regional leader in energy transition and climate diplomacy.
By combining competitive procurement, international financing and large-scale infrastructure development, Egypt aims to attract billions of dollars in investment into its renewable sector over the coming decade, while strengthening grid resilience and advancing its long-term decarbonisation goals.
