Renewable energy independent power producer, Lekela, has successfully synchronised the first 20 turbines at West Bakr Wind farm in Egypt to the grid. The wind energy facility is now providing power to the grid and will be fully operational towards the end of 2021.
“With the first turbines at West Bakr wind farm reaching synchronisation, we are one step closer to providing Egypt with clean, renewable wind power,” said Faisal Eissa, General Manager for Lekela in Egypt.
The West Bakr Wind is located 30 kilometres, north-west of Ras Ghareb. Construction of the wind farm began in September 2019, and the first turbines were installed in late December 2020.
The project is part of the Egyptian government’s Build, Own Operate (BOO) scheme, a key part of the government’s ambitious target to generate 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2022.
The West Bakr Wind farm will produce over 1000 GWh every year for 20 years and prevent more than 550,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. On its own, West Bakr Wind will increase Egypt’s wind capacity by 18%.
The social and environmental impact of the West Bakr Wind Farm
The renewable energy project is expected to have a long-term impact on the surrounding community beyond just generating electricity for 20 years. The West Bakr Wind Farm has a long-term commitment to the nearby Ras Ghareb local community. Lekela is currently developing a sustainable community plan for the project.
The wind energy project created hundreds of jobs during the construction period. Through the project, Lekela will support the local community through a number of socio-economic initiatives – these include a Women Empowerment Programme which is focusing on skills development for women in Ras Ghareb.
The company also is offering Female Engineering Apprenticeship Programmes specifically aimed at increasing female participation in the renewables sector in Egypt.
Lekela is committing to preserving the Gulf of Suez’s rich biodiversity with the development of a ‘shut down on demand’ programme to protect migrating birds. To achieve this, Lekela has signed a protocol with the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency and its Migratory Soaring Birds project to contribute towards the funding and implementation of the Migratory Birds Monitoring training programme.
“We are committed to protecting the Gulf of Suez’s biodiversity through our migratory bird programme and supporting the nearby community of Ras Ghareb, now and in the future,” concluded Faisal Eissa, General Manager for Lekela in Egypt.
