West Bakr Wind in Egypt has synchronized the first 20 wind turbines and the wind farm will now supply electricity to the grid. Timing is an important step towards project completion and now that the milestone has been reached the wind farm is producing Egypt’s first clean energy.

Located 30 kilometers northwest of Ras Ghareb, West Bakr Wind is expected to become fully operational by the end of 2021. Construction of the wind farm began in September 2019 and the first wind turbines were installed at the end of December 2020.

Lekela, a renewable energy generation company, celebrated the milestone of the completion of the 250 MW project.

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The project is part of the Egyptian government’s Build, Own Operate (BOO) program, a key part of the government’s ambitious goals of generating 20% ​​of its electricity from renewable sources by 2022. West Bakr Wind will produce more than 1,000 GWh each year for 20 years and avoid over 550,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. On its own, West Bakr Wind will increase Egyptian wind capacity by 18%.

The project will have a long-term impact beyond the mere production of electricity for 20 years. The West Bakr Wind Farm also has a long-term commitment to the nearby local community of Ras Ghareb. The development of the next phase of this sustainable community plan is underway.

In addition to creating jobs during the construction period, the project also supports the local community through a number of socio-economic initiatives. These include its Women’s Empowerment Program, which focuses on developing the skills of women in Ras Ghareb, including a women’s engineering apprenticeship program aimed specifically at increasing the participation of women in the construction sector. renewable energies in Egypt.

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Lekela’s local commitment also includes protecting the rich biodiversity of the Gulf of Suez with the development of a “close-on-demand†program to protect migratory birds.

Faisal Eissa, General Manager for Egypt at Lekela, said: “With the synchronization of the first turbines at the West Bakr wind farm, we are one step closer to providing Egypt with clean and renewable wind power. . “

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“While the 250 MW wind farm will provide a much needed increase in Egypt’s wind capacity, providing that energy is only part of our job. We are committed to protecting the biodiversity of the Gulf of Suez through our Migratory Bird Program and supporting the neighboring community of Ras Ghareb, now and in the future.