Egypt, the most populous country in the MENA region, will boost its reliance on new and renewable energy in the coming decade.
The country aims for new and renewable energy sources to reach 42 percent of its energy mix by 2035, according to the Egypt Independent, citing Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea. Renewable energy currently accounts for 20 percent of the country’s energy mix.
The report did not define which energy sources would lead this growth.
Egyptian authorities believe they can achieve this in conjunction with rationalizing energy subsidies and the state’s proactive efforts in supporting the green agenda, according to the report.
The local government said it acknowledges energy reform as a major factor in enhancing the competitiveness of the country’s energy industry and its overall ability to access global markets.
Egypt is also shifting to clean transportation by scrapping old and polluting vehicles and replacing them with modern ones that run on natural gas, according to a statement by the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy. Local authorities also hope to boost the share of electric cars on Egyptian roads and are ready to increase their investments into local infrastructure.
The Ministry added that the Egyptian state is interested in solar energy projects, including projects funded through the United Nations. The authorities hope to raise motor efficiency and solar energy in water heating systems throughout industrial facilities. This could also be achieved by increasingly relying on new energy and renewables.
Egypt’s authorities believe that increasing renewables in the energy mix will require closer coordination among state ministries and stakeholders to review future energy usage periodically. Eventually, this approach will help phase out coal, which constitutes one of the country’s primary energy sources.
The strategy proposed by the Ministry also encourages the use of clean energy sources and multiple other state-run initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and raise energy efficiency. The Ministry believes that implementing these initiatives will not be possible without synergy between the Egyptian government, the private sector, and multiple transnational institutions that support the energy transition.
