Developing a solar energy industry in Egypt

Abstract

This paper assesses Egypt's current energy infrastructure and its problems, the available solar energy resource, and the technologies required to harness this resource. After this assessment, an industry based on high utilization of solar energy; local manufacturing of solar technology; and research and development in solar energy disciplines is proposed in order to solve the energy challenges faced by the country and capitalize on new opportunities that can bring prosperity to the country. Analysis of the various solar energy technologies, shows that Fresnel Concentrated Solar Power technology is the most suitable solar technology to build an industry around in Egypt, because it has the lowest cost of producing electricity out of all solar energy technologies; the highest share of local manufacturing; and it is feasible to deploy and maintain in large scale power plants all over the country. At the end of the paper a case study is presented on Egypt's experience with parabolic trough technology throughout the last 100 years.