Egypt Signs $1.8B Solar Deal, First Africa Battery Plant

Egypt is turning sunshine into serious power with two groundbreaking renewable energy deals worth $1.8 billion that will reshape the country's energy landscape.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly signed agreements with Norway's Scatec and China's Sungrow to create what experts are calling a regional blueprint for clean energy transformation. The deals promise to deliver solar power and battery storage on a scale never before seen in the Middle East and Africa.

The centerpiece is "Energy Valley," a massive 1.7-gigawatt solar power plant that Scatec will build in Minya Governorate. The project includes cutting-edge battery storage systems spread across Minya, Qena, and Alexandria, capable of storing 4 gigawatt-hours of energy to keep the lights on even after sunset.

Sungrow's contribution might be even more transformative for the region. The Chinese renewable energy giant is building the first battery storage manufacturing facility in the Middle East and Africa, covering 50,000 square meters in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. When production kicks off in April 2027, the factory will churn out 10 gigawatt-hours of battery storage systems annually.

This isn't Egypt's first rodeo with renewable energy. Scatec already helped create the massive Benban Solar Park and recently developed Egypt's first green hydrogen facility. Now they're scaling up dramatically.

The timing couldn't be better. Egypt aims to generate 42% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, jumping to 65% by 2040. These projects put those ambitious targets within reach.

The Ripple Effect

Egypt's aggressive push into renewables is creating a domino effect across North Africa and the Middle East. Energy analysts at Rystad recently called Egypt's approach a regional blueprint that neighboring countries are studying closely.

The new battery factory alone will create thousands of manufacturing jobs while establishing Egypt as a renewable energy technology hub. Countries throughout Africa and the Middle East currently import all their battery storage systems, making this factory a game changer for regional energy independence.

Beyond borders, these projects prove that emerging economies can leapfrog fossil fuels and build 21st-century energy infrastructure from scratch. Egypt is showing the world that clean energy isn't just environmentally smart but economically savvy.

Egypt's desert sun is about to power millions of homes while inspiring a continent.