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Benban Solar Park

Aswan, Egypt

2014 - 2019

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Project Description

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The Benban Solar Park is a landmark renewable energy initiative in the Aswan governorate of Upper Egypt. It is the largest solar park in Africa and one of the largest globally, with a total installed capacity of 1.8GW.¹ ² The project was launched under Egypt’s 2014 Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Framework, aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.

Its vision is “to support Egypt’s Sustainable Energy Strategy 2035”, which sets a target of generating 20% of electricity from renewables by 2022.³

The project aims to produce more than 4TWh of electricity annually, supply power to over 350,000 households, and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 1.9 million tonnes per year.⁴ ⁵

The project is part of Egypt’s Nubian Suns Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (FiT) programme announced in September 2014.⁶

To achieve the vision, the Benban Solar Park spans 37.2 square kilometers of desert land north of Aswan.⁷ ⁸ Its major components include:

41 solar photovoltaic plants with individual plots between 0.3 – 1.0 square kilometers.⁹ ¹⁰
Four high-voltage substations developed by New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) and the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC).¹¹
A 16-kilometer water supply pipeline from the Nile River to meet operational needs.¹² ¹³

In terms of sustainability, the solar park employs advanced technologies such as bifacial modules in 6 projects (totalling 300 MW), which generate electricity from both direct sunlight and ground-reflected light.¹⁴ Photovoltaic panels are installed on fixed frames in large arrays, while a centralized control center monitors system performance and coordinates transmission. ¹⁵

The project is managed and implemented by key stakeholders. Egyptian authorities, particularly NREA and EETC, provide regulatory and infrastructure support,¹⁶ ¹⁷ while financing is from international institutions including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Financial Corporation (IFC), and other global development banks. The EBRD alone finances 750 MW across 16 projects, at a cost of USD 1.13 billion.¹⁸ ¹⁹

Construction progressed in multiple phases, and the solar park was fully completed in 2019. ²⁰ ²¹ Today, the Benban Solar Park is recognized as a huge achievement in Egypt’s clean energy transition. It strengthens national energy security, positions Egypt as a leader in large-scale solar development, and creates substantial employment opportunities in Upper Egypt, while contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts.²² ²³

Project Link, Endnotes and References

Project Link

Endnotes

References

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‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘Building One of the Largest Solar Parks in the World’. (2024). Bentley Systems. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.bentley.com/company/esg-user-project-benban-solar-park/>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘SESA Benban 1.8GW PV Solar Park Final Report’. (February 2016). European Investment Bank. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.eib.org/attachments/registers/65771943.pdf>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘SESA Benban 1.8GW PV Solar Park Final Report’. (February 2016). European Investment Bank. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.eib.org/attachments/registers/65771943.pdf>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘SESA Benban 1.8GW PV Solar Park Final Report’. (February 2016). European Investment Bank. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.eib.org/attachments/registers/65771943.pdf>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘SESA Benban 1.8GW PV Solar Park Final Report’. (February 2016). European Investment Bank. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.eib.org/attachments/registers/65771943.pdf>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘Benban Solar (16 projects)’. (2021). Global Infrastructure Hub. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.gihub.org/quality-infrastructure-database/case-studies/benban-solar-16-projects/>
‘Benban solar park, Egypt, world’s biggest solar photovoltaic’. (2018). NS Energy Business. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/benban-solar-park/>
‘Benban Solar (16 projects)’. (2021). Global Infrastructure Hub. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.gihub.org/quality-infrastructure-database/case-studies/benban-solar-16-projects/>
‘Building One of the Largest Solar Parks in the World’. (2024). Bentley Systems. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.bentley.com/company/esg-user-project-benban-solar-park/>
‘SESA Benban 1.8GW PV Solar Park Final Report’. (February 2016). European Investment Bank. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.eib.org/attachments/registers/65771943.pdf>
‘Building One of the Largest Solar Parks in the World’. (2024). Bentley Systems. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.bentley.com/company/esg-user-project-benban-solar-park/>
‘SESA Benban 1.8GW PV Solar Park Final Report’. (2016). European Investment Bank. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.eib.org/attachments/registers/65771943.pdf>
‘Benban Photovoltaic Complex’. (2024). ACCIONA Projects. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.acciona.com/projects/benban-photovoltaic-co>
‘Scatec Solar reaches commercial operation for its fourth 65 MW power plant in Egypt’. (19 August 2019). Scatec Solar Press Release. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://scatec.com/2019/08/19/scatec-solar-reaches-commercial-operation-for-its-fourth-65-mw-power-plant-in-egypt/>
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‘ARC for Renewable Energy SAE’. British International Investment. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://www.bii.co.uk/en/our-impact/investment/arc-for-renewable-energy-sae-investment-01/>
‘TSK Solar PV Power Plant Construction’. Gama Construction. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from <https://gama.com.eg/tsk-solar-pv-power-plant-construction/>
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