EgyptERA and MoERE advance MENALINKS workplan for Egypt
On 07 May 2025, the MENALINKS national stakeholders convened in Cairo to advance the MENALINKS workplan for Egypt, focusing on regulatory, technical, and financial frameworks for increasing the integration of renewable energy in the power system, with specific interest in smart mini-grids and industrial flexibility. The meeting included representatives from the Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (EgyptERA) and the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MoERE), as well as MENALINKS consortium members Guidehouse, Elia Grid International (EGI), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEEE).
Collaborative planning for Egypt’s smart mini-grid future
Building on the momentum from the stakeholder consultation workshop and investment forum on smart mini-grids hosted by the MENALINKS programme on 5 and 6 May 2025 respectively, representatives from EgyptERA and MoERE convened, to discuss the way forward on promoting smart mini-grids and agree on the next focus area.
Discussions centred on defining technical requirements, identifying priority areas for smart mini-grid deployment, and aligning with national grid codes, including isolated mini-grids proposed under the new regulatory framework. Participants emphasized the importance of ensuring future grid compatibility and investor-friendly licensing frameworks.
Driving outcomes based on practical use cases
The MoERE is compiling a list of priority areas for the development of smart mini-grids, with remote oases and agricultural areas emerging as likely candidates, due to existing similar models and feasibility studies on some areas. MENALINKS will further support the development of selection criteria and coordinate with the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) and distribution companies to ensure alignment. MENALINKS will continue the ongoing support for the development of technical requirements for smart mini-grids, aiming to advance the design and development of a pilot project. The financial workstream of the MENALINKS programme will further explore enablers for smart mini-grid investments. This in particular can focus on facilitating the bankability of future projects (including assessments of land use and load profiles), risk mitigation strategies, and capacity building efforts.
The meeting also explored industrial flexibility as the second focus area of the MENALINKS programme, discussing the potential for innovative technical and regulatory approaches and regulatory sandboxes for piloting. Based on key learnings from MENALINKS activities in Jordan and Morocco, a third task force in the MENALINKS Egypt workstream could focus on industrial flexibility and analyse the potential of time-of-use tariffs, demand-side management, and smart metering for Egyptian use cases.
MENALINKS will continue to collaborate closely with the national stakeholders to enable increased renewable energy integration into the system and support sector coupling activities.
