Construction of the biggest wind farm in the Middle East-North Africa begins

Egypt has big plans for renewable energy. The transcontinental nation aims to generate 42% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2035. The Red Sea Wind Energy project on the Ras Ghareb wind farm, in the Gulf of Suez region, is key to that plan. At a whopping 500 MW installed capacity, it is the largest single wind farm project in the Middle East-North Africa region and one of the largest wind projects in Africa. Tractebel completed its mandate for the development phase and is currently supervising construction.

Up to 1,600 people mobilized for the construction phase

Client Red Sea Wind Energy SAE, a joint venture formed by Toyota Tsusho and Eurus Energy (Japan), ENGIE SA (France), and construction company Orascom Construction PLC (Egypt), has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with EETC, the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company.

The client has appointed Tractebel as owner’s engineer. Project development began in 2018 and the construction phase started in March 2023, with an expected peak workforce of 1,200 – 1,600 mobilized on-site. Construction is expected to be completed in August 2025. The turbines will be supplied by Goldwind from China.

Paving the way more renewable energy on Egypt’s Ras Ghareb wind farm

During the development phase, our onshore renewable teams were responsible for the site’s layout optimization, wind end energy yield assessments, compliance studies and substation design. During construction, we are supporting the Owner in technical project and engineering management, design review, interface coordination and site supervision (including health, safety and environmental management) of substation and wind turbine generator installation.   

Tractebel was owner’s engineer for the first privately financed Ras Ghareb wind project

This project is the follow-up to the Ras Ghareb Wind Energy Project, the first privately financed wind farm in Egypt with an installed capacity of 262,5 MW, completed in 2019. Both projects are owned by the same shareholders, which have appointed our onshore renewable experts as owner’s engineer. The sites represent a combined installed capacity in excess of 760 MW of wind energy.

The Red Sea Wind Energy project will power 800,000 homes with renewable energy

The client’s Ras Ghareb Wind Energy project. Tractebel is owner’s engineer on both projects.

Watch Orascom’s video on Red Sea Wind Energy SAE’s first Ras Ghareb project:

 “Egypt sees high economic potential in renewable energies and green industries, which will not only greatly reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but also create hundreds of jobs. Wind energy generated in Egypt (and Morocco) is positioned to become a solid pillar of decarbonization in Europe via electric transmission or green hydrogen molecules. Environmental constraints in vast desert landscapes are minor compared to more densely populated areas - Egypt alone has already allocated 20,000 km² for renewable energy projects. Nowhere in Europe are such immense harvest areas for renewable energies readily available.”

Bungo Ezawa, Project Director, Tractebel

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