Sharm El Sheikh To Be Entirely Solar Powered In Three Months

Egypt has plenty of sunlight and beaches, but a significant lack of energy. Looking to use the sun to power the beach resorts that in turn bring in tourist that help fuel the economy is none other than the beloved resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

According to a statement released on Tuesday by the Governor of South Sinai, Khaled Fouda, Sharm el-Sheikh hopes to be fully powered by solar energy within the next three months. As it stands 70% of Sharm el-Sheikh is already powered by solar energy, and if they manage to accomplish this new goal, it will become the first city in Egypt fully reliant on renewable energy.

This shift toward alternative energy has become part of government policy as Egypt continues to try and find a solution to its current energy shortfall. Within the next three years, Egypt has announced plans to build solar power plants and wind turbines with a capacity of generating 4,300 megawatts. At the same time Egypt has also signed an agreement with Russia that will assist in the building of a nuclear power plant.

The statement by Fouda came after a meeting with Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb, in which they discussed preparations ahead of hosting a major investment summit set for March 13 – 15th. As it stands, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry claims that 60 countries have already confirmed they will attend the conference, which hopes to attract investments in Egypt that will in turn revamp the battered economy.