The Project.
Combining technology and nature to generate ecofriendly energy in a harsh desert environment is a complex challenge and requires sound coordination between stakeholders. Since December 2023, in the Eastern Desert about 25km south of Ras Gharib, 70 Wind Turbines with a capacity of 3.6 MW each generate 252 MW of electrical power.
Each single Wind Turbine provides green electrical energy for 6000 households. The annual electrical energy generated by the Wind Farm is equivalent to the electricity consumption of more than 400,000 Egyptian households. Compared with the average electricity production in Egypt, the Wind Power Plant is expected to save more than 10 million tons of CO2 emissions during its expected lifetime of 20 years.
During the construction, occupational health and safety played a major role. The project achieved more than 1,706,553 working hours without lost time injury since its start, ranking amongst the best records in the region.
Inhabitants from the Ras Ghareb Community worked throughout all project phases at the Wind Power Plant and reached a share of up to 68%. With their support, they contributed significantly to the successful implementation of the Project.
The environmental aspect is also an important part of the project. The so-called Shutdown-On-Demand methodology protects migrating birds crossing the wider area along the Red Sea Coast.
Large bird migrations of around 40 different bird species are being observed by bird watchers in the surrounding of the wind farm during migration periods with telescopes and binoculars from August to November and from February to May. As flocks of birds are being observed in the vicinity of the Wind Turbines, bird watchers are giving commands to the wind power plant operators to shut-down the respective wind turbines in order to protecting the birds from collision with the rotating wind turbine blades.
The loss of energy due to these shut-downs is expected to be less than 1%.
252 MW Wind Power Plant
- 70 wind turbines, type Vestas V105-3.6MW
- 3.6 MW rated power per Wind Turbine Generator
- 252 MW total capacity
- ~1000 GWh / year electrical energy generation
- 45 % capacity factor
- 400 000 households electrical energy supply / year (expected)
Thereof:
1 Wind Turbine Generator
- ~6000 households electricity energy supply / year (expected)
- Design Lifetime min. 20 years
- 67 m tower (hub) height
- 105 m rotor diameter
- 120 m max blade tip height (Great Pyramid of Cheops: 139 m)
Electricity Supply for
>400 000 homes / year
1 Hour Operation of 1 Wind Turbine
10 000 km / car
Reduced CO2 Emissions
>500 000 tons / year
Bird Observation – Migration Period
Protection of endangered migratory bird species
Electrical Substation
33kV / 220kV
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- 550 km 33kV aluminum cable
- 82 km of 400sqmm copper cable (earthing)
- 180 km fibre optic cable (for communication)
Gravel / Asphalt Roads
