Ageing Middle East wind pioneer to be reborn as 3GW green power hybrid

Egypt plans to transform one of the first major wind complexes in the Middle East and North Africa region into a 3GW wind-solar hybrid.

Abu Dhabi utility Taqa and global renewables developer Voltalia this week agreed a memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian government to work on the repowering of the Zafarana wind projects 130km southeast of Cairo.

Zafarana – where wind power construction began as long ago as 2000 and some of which is approaching the end of its life – will be redeveloped as a 1.1GW wind and 2.1GW solar giant on its plots 5-8, said the partners.

Zafarana is owned by Egypt's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and has reportedly been the target of potential investment by Danish shipping giant Maersk, which could tap it for green hydrogen production.

The developers said the repowering would maximise the potential of the site 130km southeast of Cairo, which they said combines some of the region’s windiest conditions with the “exceptional sun irradiation typical of the Sahara climate”.

Voltalia and Taqa will now start measurement of wind and solar resource, and environmental studies, ahead of a planned commissioning of initial capacity in 2028.

Voltalia claimed its experience of solar in Egypt and hybrid plants elsewhere in the world would aid the project.

Taqa Arabia said: “We are conducting pivotal studies in one of Egypt's most promising regions for solar and wind power, laying the groundwork for transformative energy solutions.”