Egypt announced plans to meet its high power demand in summer by adding 3 GW of solar energy to the grid in 2026. The plan also involves adding 600 MW of battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity before the onset of summer. The addition of the BESS capacity will raise the country’s on-grid storage capacity to 1.1 GW. Egypt estimates a 6% to 7% increase in power demand during the summer months. These plans align with the country’s target to achieve a minimum of 42% renewable energy share in its power mix by 2030.

United Solar Holding commenced commercial operations at its polysilicon manufacturing plant in Oman, with a capacity of 100,000 tons per day, equivalent to 40 GW of solar module production. The polysilicon manufacturing facility is in the Sohar Freezone. The company is also securing 700 MW of solar power for powering the polysilicon facility in cooperation with OQ Alternative Energy. Through its subsidiary, United Solar Polysilicon (USP), the project has raised over $900 million in financing from local and international lenders. USP is also planning to set up 2 GW of solar wafer and 2 GW of solar cell capacity in the U.S., targeting an integrated manufacturing platform of 5 GW of wafers and cells.

The European Commission committed €124.3 million ($147 million) of funding to support Egypt’s green hydrogen development and grid expansion projects. The funding comprises of €34.3 million ($41 million) for the Sokhna Green Ammonia project and €90 million ($107 million) for the Egypt Grid Modernisation and Expansion program. The project is being developed by a consortium of Norway’s Scatec, Abu Dhabi’s Fertiglobe, Egypt’s Orascom Construction, and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt. It comprises a 100 MW electrolyser facility to produce renewable hydrogen to be used as feedstock for the production of up to 74,000 tons of renewable ammonia at Fertiglobe’s existing ammonia facilities in Ain Sokhna.