Renergy Group Partners held the final community-consultation session for the Green Energy and Hydrogen Project in Sharm El-Sheikh, South Sinai Governorate. Major General Dr Khaled Mubarak, Governor of South Sinai, opened the session and described the project as a qualitative leap for clean energy, job creation and sustainable development in the governorate.
Mr Robert Valk, Chairman of Renergy Group Partners, and Counselor Mohamed Abou El-Naga, Advisor to the Minister of State for Military Production, also addressed the session. They discussed the project’s importance to the Arab Republic of Egypt, its role in securing the country’s energy future and its potential to place Egypt prominently on the global map of green-energy and hydrogen projects. They also highlighted the employment expected during construction and operation.
Broad stakeholder participation
Participants included representatives and leaders from the Ministry of Military Production; the Ministries of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Environment, and Water Resources and Irrigation; the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency; the New and Renewable Energy Authority; the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company; Red Sea Port Authorities; the Industrial Development Authority; King Salman International University; the South Sinai governorate; the media; civil-society organisations; local communities; and tribal sheikhs and elders from South Sinai’s Bedouin communities.
The Governor said the Mega Scale El-Tor Project would be a source of pride for Sinai and a historic development for Egypt. He described it as the first integrated clean-energy project to use the latest wind- and solar-generation technologies, with the aim of placing Egypt among the leading countries in this field.
Expected economic and social impact
- Thousands of direct and indirect jobs for young people and members of the Bedouin tribes.
- Training and qualification programmes with King Salman International University for specialised technical and administrative personnel.
- A new residential area with more than 4,000 homes, including 2,000 units serving the project and 500 units for Bedouin residents.
- Agricultural and tourism investment supported by desalinated-water sources and infrastructure projects.
Environmental and social studies
Specialists from Renergy, EcoConServ for Environmental and Social Solutions and Safe Soar for Migratory Bird Studies presented the project studies. These covered:
- Monitoring migratory-bird movements and measures to avoid impacts on flight paths.
- Assessment of effects on ecosystems and an integrated plan to mitigate adverse impacts.
- International sustainability standards intended to protect natural resources and maintain environmental balance.
Next stage
Renergy Group Partners reaffirmed its commitment to cooperation with government bodies and local communities and to applying high environmental and social standards in line with Egypt Vision 2030. The company described the final consultation as a major development milestone. After two years of work to complete the feasibility study and required EEAA studies, it expected final project approvals within 3 months.
The Governor honoured the implementing company and representatives of the organisations that prepared the project, exchanging shields and commemorative gifts. He praised the completion of the environmental, technical and social studies and said the combination of solar power, pumped storage and hydropower would help position Egypt as a leading producer of 24/7 green baseload power for the grid, alongside green-hydrogen production.
