Egypt plans to invite bids for the construction of a 1,000-megawatt wind energy plant in the Gulf of Suez at an international tender in September, according to Aktham Abou El- Ella, a spokesman for the Electricity Ministry of Egypt. Construction of the wind farm, which will be located in the Gabal El-Zeit area, will be tendered on a build-own-operate basis, Abou El-Ella told in an interview in Cairo.

“Ninety percent of the land in Egypt is empty and is suitable for setting up wind turbines,” Abou El-Ella said. “With solar power, plant costs are very high, and with hydraulic power reaching its maximum capacity, wind farms remain the best option for renewable energy in Egypt.”