As per news reports, Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MERE) has announced that the country requires long-duration, low-cost electricity storage systems, which will be integrated with renewable energy (RE) plants in a comprehensive power generation system.
According to MERE, hydrogen plays a major role in the seasonal storage of electricity produced from RE sources, and also has the ability to decarbonise other sectors such as transport, industry, or injection into the gas network.
Egypt’s energy strategy 2035, which focuses on exploring the potential of RE resources in the country, also talks about the use of hydrogen, including grey hydrogen produced from fossil fuels; blue hydrogen produced from fossil fuels with the use of carbon capture and storage technology; and green hydrogen produced using RE.
In addition, the ministry mentioned that the supplementary phase for establishing a parallel electricity line integrated with the existing national networks, will ensure an exchange capacity of up to 2,000 MW with Jordan, Iraq, and Syria at a cost of USD2.1 billion.
Contracts related to the 500 kV Egypt–Saudi Arabia Grid Interconnection Project are planned to be signed during the second half of 2021. Currently, line routes are being modified due to the implementation of the NEOM project (cross-border city project in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan).
Further, in the second half of 2021, the country will witness the transfer of around 100-150 MW capacities from Jordan to Iraq post the completion of the 400 kV line. The second phase of the project, with a capacity of 500-600 MW, is anticipated to be implemented in 2022.
