The New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) is to complete its evaluation of the financial offer by Vestas to launch a 250MW wind farm in the Gulf of Suez before the end of this year.
A source close to the bid evaluation told Daily News Egypt that the NREA has approved in principle the offer made by Vestas, after Siemens Gamesa and Senvion withdrew their offers to launch the plant. The three companies were technically qualified in the tender put forward for the implementation of the project.
The source said the project’s capacity can be increased in case of securing larger funding.
The German Development Bank (KfW) would finance the project with a €260m loan, in cooperation with the European Investment Bank, the French Development Agency, and the European Union. The loan will be granted to Vestas once it is awarded the project’s contract.
The Ministry of Electricity aims to produce 20% of the country’s energy from new and renewable resources by 2022, and over 42% by 2035, which would raise contribution of renewable resources in the energy mix to 6,000MW.
On a different note, the NREA started implementing the Minister of Trade and Industry’s decision to test imported photovoltaic solar systems and heaters at the NREA labs.
The source added that the importing companies of solar energy equipment are now obliged to conduct product tests at both the General Authority for Standards and Quality and the NREA to verify their quality.
The source pointed out that the main objective is to ensure the quality and efficiency of the products that are imported and installed in Egypt. The decision issued by Minister of Trade and Industry, Amr Nassar, last year, giving some time for producers and importers to adjust their conditions.
