Egypt to construct first integrated solar and battery storage plant

Egypt’s first integrated solar and battery storage plant will deliver dispatchable clean energy, enhance grid stability and manage peak demand. The project is expected to generate approximately 3,000 GWh of clean energy and avoid up to 1.4 million metric tonnes of emissions per year.

The project aligns with Egypt’s goal of reaching 42% renewable energy by 2030 and is part of the Nexus of Water, Food and Energy (NWFE) platform.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), African Development Bank (AfDB), and British International Investment (BII) are jointly providing US$ 479.1 million to Obelisk Solar Power SAE—a Scatec ASA-owned entity—to develop a 1.1 GW solar PV plant with an integrated 200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Egypt’s Nagaa Hammadi region.

The EBRD will contribute up to US$ 173.5 million, including a US$ 101.9 million first-loss guarantee under the EFSD+ and a US$ 6.5 million grant from its Shareholder Special Fund. The AfDB’s US$ 184.1 million package includes concessional funds from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, the Canada-AfDB Climate Fund, and CIF’s Clean Technology Fund. BII will provide a US$ 100 million concessional loan and a US$ 15 million returnable grant to support the BESS component and attract private investment.

The financing covers approximately 80% of the total project cost (US$ 590 million). Developed by Scatec, the project will be built in two phases:

Phase 1: 561 MW solar + 100 MW/200 MWh BESS, operational by mid-2026

Phase 2: 564 MW solar, operational by late 2026

Electricity will be sold under a 25-year USD-denominated power purchase agreement with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, backed by a sovereign guarantee.

This will be Egypt’s first large-scale integrated solar and battery project, expected to generate 3,000 GWh annually and cut CO₂ emissions by up to 1.4 million tonnes per year. 

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