As Egypt accelerates efforts to adopt sustainable infrastructure and reduce environmental impact, the Red Sea town of El Gouna—developed by Orascom Development—has taken a major step forward by launching new water and energy projects aimed at boosting self-sufficiency and aligning with national and global climate goals.

El Gouna has unveiled its first outsourced desalination facility and expanded its solar energy capacity as part of a broader commitment to sustainable development.

In a statement, Orascom Development said the reverse osmosis desalination plant was developed with DesalEgypt and Saudi-based Energya Industries ElSewedy Helal at a cost of 66 million Egyptian pounds ($1.31 million). The plant begins with a daily capacity of 2,500 cubic metres (m³/day), scalable to over 11,500 m³/day, increasing the town’s total water production from 14,000 to 16,500 m³/day.

In parallel, SolarizEgypt—DesalEgypt’s sister company—signed a 25-year agreement with Orascom Development to expand their joint photovoltaic (PV) plant to 15.8 megawatts (MW), making it the largest private-sector renewable energy partnership of its kind in Egypt.

According to Yassin Abdel Ghaffar, CEO of SolarizEgypt, “The 7.25MW first phase started commercial operations three years ago while the 9.25MW second phase is currently in the testing and commissioning phase.”

“We will announce the commercial operation date in the coming days,” he said, adding that the combined output will reach 15.8MW.

He noted that Phase 3 was initially planned at around 5MW, but rising demand from the desalination facility and new projects like Fanadir Shores may lead to further solar expansion. “We’re currently studying how much of this increase allows us to grow our solar project,” he said.

These projects align with Orascom’s ESG goals and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.