Egypt plans 1,000MW solar capacity to power 7,000 factories

Egypt plans to establish solar power plants with a combined capacity of 1,000 megawatts to supply around 7,000 factories under the “Shams El-Senaa” initiative, as the government seeks to expand renewable energy use and reduce electricity costs for industrial facilities.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reviewed the initiative’s implementation mechanisms during a meeting with Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat, stressing the need to expand the programme beyond factories to include government buildings and other facilities in subsequent phases.

Madbouly said the initiative had received the attention of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and formed part of broader efforts to diversify energy sources, reduce production costs, enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian industry and localise solar energy manufacturing.

He also stressed the importance of ensuring the efficient operation and maintenance of solar installations, including regular inspections of panels, transformers, connection systems and control equipment. This would require establishing a national framework for implementation, operation and maintenance, alongside training specialised technical personnel.

Esmat said the initiative would help reduce factories’ electricity bills and natural gas consumption, improve production efficiency and strengthen the competitiveness of Egyptian products in domestic and international markets.

He added that the programme would also support the localisation of renewable energy component manufacturing, increase local content and strengthen industrial value chains and export opportunities.

The minister disclosed that the government was also coordinating with relevant ministries and authorities on a separate project to install solar power systems on the rooftops of government buildings nationwide.

Both initiatives fall within Egypt’s national energy strategy, which seeks to increase the share of renewable sources in the energy mix and improve electricity consumption efficiency.

The “Shams El-Senaa” initiative was launched in line with the recommendations of Egypt Forum 2026, which called for initiatives to expand the use of renewable energy across different sectors.