A consortium including Masdar has signed a Land Access Agreement with the Egyptian government for a 10GW capacity onshore wind farm in Egypt, set to be one of the largest in the world, with a project value exceeding US$10bn.
The consortium also includes African renewable developer Infinity Power, along with Hassan Allam Utilities, a sustainable infrastructure focused development and investment platform.
The agreement gives the consortium access to a 3025 square kilometre area of land located in West Suhag, and will allow it to conduct the necessary development studies to progress the project.
This will include resource measurement campaigns, geotechnical and topographic surveys, in addition to the environmental studies to ensure minimal environmental impact.
Once under construction the wind farm will deliver significant benefits to local communities, including job creation with commitments to hire locally, community support initiatives, and the protection and support of the natural environment, Infinity Power said.
The landmark wind project is expected to produce 47,790GWh of clean energy per year and cut around 9% of Egypt’s annual carbon emissions by displacing 23.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
The wind farm will also help Egypt meet its strategic objective of sourcing 42% of its energy from renewables by 2030.
The 10GW wind farm will save the country an estimated US$5bn in natural gas costs per year.
The agreement was signed by Infinity Power chairman Mohamed Ismail Mansour, Hassan Allam Utilities chief operating officer Karim Hefzy and senior manager for business development and investment at Masdar Mohamed Asaad Taher.
Masdar’s chief executive Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, said: “Masdar, its JV Infinity Power, and our partner Hassan Allam Utilities, is supporting Egypt to deliver its ambitious renewable energy targets.
“I congratulate Egypt’s leadership on this major milestone for the country, with what is set to be one of the largest wind farms on the planet.
“At 10GW, this landmark project is pushing the limits of innovation and scale as we work to help unlock Africa’s clean energy potential, and further advance its energy transition.”
Hassan Allam Holding co-chief executive Amr Allam added: “In a significant move towards a more sustainable future for Egypt, the signing of the Land Access Agreement for the 10GW wind farm project alongside our esteemed partners, Infinity Power and Masdar, marks a pivotal moment.
“This initiative underscores our commitment to clean energy and environmental responsibility, and we are proud to be part of this transformative project that will have a positive impact on our nation’s energy landscape and beyond.”
Infinity’s Mansour said: “We are excited to be moving to the next step of the development of our 10GW wind farm in Egypt and cannot wait to see it progress.
“Not only will this project deliver substantial benefits during construction and operation, creating jobs for local people and investing in their local communities, the impact of the energy uplift will be amazing to see.
“This source of clean, affordable energy will save Egypt money, reduce emissions and power industry across the country.”