Wind reserves provide hope as (Egypt's) oil and gas supplies dry up

Wind reserves provide hope as oil and gas supplies dry up

Monday, 14 September 2009 12:05

BY CAM MCGRATH*
IPS NEWS AGENCY

CAIRO — With oil and gas reserves running dry, the most populous country in the Arab world is eyeing wind power as a solution to its looming energy crunch.

Egypt relies on the burning of fossil fuels to satisfy about 85 percent of its electricity requirements. But with electricity consumption growing at 8 percent a year, and the country's oil and gas reserves expected to dry up within 30-50 years, energy policymakers have taken an increasingly hard look at the potential of wind power.

The National Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), which manages Egypt's clean energy portfolio, has mapped out a strategy to develop the country's abundant wind resources.

"We are currently generating 400 MW of power from wind and will increase our capacity to 600 MW by mid-2010," says Fathy Ameen Mohammad, vice- chairman for projects and operations at NREA. "Our goal is to generate 7,200 MW of wind power by 2020, which is about 12 percent of total electricity production."

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