Mahmoud Esmat, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, has met with a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), led by Harry Boyd-Carpenter, Managing Director for Sustainable Infrastructure. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) General Assembly in the UAE.
The discussions focused on advancing mutual cooperation in several key areas, including a wind measurement project aimed at identifying suitable regions for establishing power generation plants, updates on the NWFE project, and the decommissioning of outdated power plants. Additional topics included collaboration on green hydrogen initiatives, the country’s energy mix strategy, increasing the share of renewable energy, optimizing natural resources, and upgrading the unified electricity grid.
During the meeting, Minister Esmat praised the ongoing partnership with the EBRD, highlighting the bank’s vital role in supporting Egypt’s energy strategy, the energy transition plan, and clean energy storage projects. These initiatives are key to stabilizing the national grid as the country continues to transform its electricity infrastructure into a more resilient and smart grid.
Esmat emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to sustainability, underscoring efforts to increase renewable energy capacity, improve grid performance, and enhance the grid’s ability to handle growing demand. He outlined a strategic focus on clean energy, noting that renewable energy generation and grid modernization are crucial to achieving Egypt’s long-term sustainability goals.
The Minister also reiterated the importance of environmental studies and efficient natural resource management as part of Egypt’s broader strategy to optimize energy use. He stressed the importance of expanding new and renewable energy projects to diversify Egypt’s energy sources and ensure energy security.
Furthermore, Esmat emphasized Egypt’s openness to further cooperation with the private sector. He noted that leveraging private sector expertise is a key element of the country’s strategy to diversify energy sources, increase energy security, and foster long-term partnerships in the energy sector.
In line with the national development plan, Esmat stated that Egypt aims to secure sustainable, sufficient, low-cost, and clean energy sources. This goal includes reducing reliance on traditional fuels, cutting carbon emissions, expanding energy storage systems, and advancing electrical interconnection projects with neighboring countries, all of which will contribute to the nation’s shift toward a smart and sustainable electricity grid.
