New Valley powered by solar energy for the first time

BY

-

Sun, 07 May 2017 - 12:08 GMT

BY

Sun, 07 May 2017 - 12:08 GMT

Solar panels - Creative Commons

Solar panels - Creative Commons

CAIRO – 7 May 2017: Al-Farafra city, located in New Valley, will be powered by solar energy for the first time as a new 5 megawatt solar-powered renewable energy plant comes into operation. The project was funded by the UAE to cultivate and reclaim 1.5 million feddans (1 feddan = 1.038 acres) where there is no permanent source of electricity, said Major General Mohammed Al-Adawi, head of Al-Farafra Center.

Adawi clarified that the new station will contribute to the area’s economic and social development by providing main public services and eliminating the problem of power outages. Furthermore, it will also operate solar water well pumps to reduce diesel consumption.

The chairman of the board of directors of Tanafia Development in Farafra, Sayd Amin, explained that this is considered the first experience in the country to install two units of solar energy with a total cost of 754,000 EGP ($32,000).

The undersecretary of the Ministry of Irrigation, Mohamed Mustafa, also said that the ministry is targeting to operate 190 wells in the first phase of using solar energy in order to save 18 million EGP ($765,000), which is the cost of using diesel fuel to operate the same pumps.

The New Valley receives huge amounts of sunlight throughout the year, so it will be convenient to apply the experience of utilizing solar energy instead of electricity or other sources of energy.

Comments

0

Leave a Comment

Be Social