We finally have a timeline for Vestas’ wind farm in the Gulf of Suez: An international consortium led by Denmark’s wind turbine maker Vestas is set to begin operations at its 250 MW wind farm in Egypt’s Gulf of Suez by early 2024, Al Mal quotes unnamed sources at the country’s Electricity Ministry as saying.

What we know: The project — owned by Egypt’s New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) — is being implemented by an Italian-French-Chilean alliance led by Vestas, the sources said. The project’s investment cost is estimated at EUR 228 mn, which will be funded through an earlier agreement between Egypt and European partners, including the French Development Agency, the EU, the European Investment Bank, and the KfW Development Bank.

This has been in the works since 2020: Egypt’s NREA signed a EGP 4.3 bn agreement with the Vestas-led consortium to construct the wind project in August 2020. The plant will have an annual energy output of 840 GWh once fully operational, the Egyptian Cabinet said at the time. The project was set to be implemented within 35 months, according to officials, although the reason behind its delay remains unclear. Equipment to connect the wind farm to the national grid is set to be supplied by Hitachi Energy, the company said last year. Vestas was awarded the tender in early 2020 after both Siemens Gamesa and Germany’s Senvion retracted their bids late in 2019.

Vestas ♥️ Egypt’s wind potential: Vestas was named recently among companies planning to bid for a five-to-seven year operation and maintenance contract for the 120 MW Gabal El Zeit 3 plant in Egypt.

All under Egypt’s ambitious renewable targets: Egypt wants renewable energy to contribute 42% of the country’s total energy mix by 2030 and 60% by 2040. It signed earlier this month a land allocation agreement with Norway’s Scatec for a planned 5 GW wind farm in Sohag, advancing one of the MoUs on wind energy signed during COP27. A similar land agreement was signed last month with the Masdar-Infinity Power-Hassan Allam Utilities consortium for a 10 GW wind plant, advancing another MoU inked at the climate summit.