Onshore wind power represents a significant lever in the Egyptian government’s ambition of reaching 42% of renewable electricity in the country by 2030. In regions like the Gulf of Suez, wind speeds exceed 9 meters per second*, ideal conditions for the development of large-scale wind farms. ENGIE is currently building the 500 MW Red Sea Wind Energy installation there, in consortium with Orascom, an Egyptian construction company, Toyota Tsushimo Corporation, a trading company with investment branches in renewable energies and Eurus, a Japanese renewable energy developer and operator.
Ahead of schedule and budget (with 306 MW already connected to the grid), RSWE was awarded a 150 MW extension by the Egyptian government, but on condition to build the 20 new turbines within the planned timeframe for the initial 500 MW (March 2023 - August 2025).
This challenge was taken up by ENGIE's teams, who already proved their track record on Ras Ghareb Wind Energy (RGWE), which was delivered 6 weeks ahead of schedule in 2019, without Lost Time Injury’s and within budget - a record for this type of project in the country. 104 turbines are to be erected between October 2024 and August 2025, for a total of 650 MW.
The largest wind farm in Egypt
Hans Bruins, Construction Director of the RSWE project and lead developer of the 150MW extension, adds: "If we achieve these results, it is because we have the right employees and we rely on our industrial culture."
"Competent project managers are valuable. With ENGIE's development in renewables (+6 GW/year from 2026), we will develop more and more projects like Red Sea Wind Energy. We recruit motivated juniors to take their first steps on this type of project and train them. And we also recruit seniors!"
