El Gouna Red Sea Opens Solarize-2, Marking a New Milestone in Its Long-Term Sustainability Journey

El Gouna Red Sea, the flagship year-round destination by Orascom Development Egypt, has officially opened Solarize-2, its second solar power station developed in partnership with SolarizEgypt, a solar energy solutions company.
As part of El Gouna Red Sea’s long-term vision and commitment to sustainability, the town continues to invest in solutions that integrate environmental responsibility into its infrastructure and everyday operations. This approach spans clean energy generation, water security, wastewater treatment and reuse, waste management, and sustainable mobility, supporting more efficient use of resources while meeting the needs of the town’s continued growth.
Solarize-2 represents a significant expansion of El Gouna Red Sea’s renewable energy infrastructure, building on the foundation established by Solarize-1, the town’s first solar power station. Solarize-1 established 7.2 MW of solar capacity, while Solarize-2 added 8.6 MW, bringing the town’s total solar capacity to 15.8 MW and supporting El Gouna Red Sea’s target of generating more than 15% of its local energy supply from renewable sources in 2026. This share is expected to increase as we plan further solar capacity expansions in El Gouna Red Sea. This expansion increases the role of clean energy in supporting the town’s growing energy requirements and forms part of El Gouna Red Sea’s broader, long-term commitment to sustainability, spanning clean power generation, water security, wastewater treatment and reuse, waste management, and sustainable mobility.
Mohamed Amer CEO of El Gouna Red Sea and Managing Director of Orascom Development Egypt, commented: “Sustainability has been embedded in El Gouna Red Sea’s vision for decades, shaping not only how we operate today, but how we plan for the town’s future. Solarize-2 marks an important step in advancing that vision and demonstrates the value of long-term partnerships such as the one we have built with SolarizEgypt. Together, we are creating one of Egypt’s largest private-sector solar energy initiatives, while establishing an approach designed to support the town’s long-term ambitions. Our vision goes beyond individual projects; it is about building an integrated, resilient destination where responsible growth and resource management go hand in hand. Looking ahead, we will maintain our strategic investment across energy, water, waste, and mobility, ensuring that the infrastructure we build today creates lasting environmental and economic value for El Gouna Red Sea and its community.”

Yaseen Abd El Ghaffar, Founder of SolarizEgypt stated: “Through Bequest Holding, SolarizEgypt and Desal, we have invested more than EGP 1 billion in advancing El Gouna Red Sea’s green infrastructure. El Gouna Red Sea is a flagship model for sustainable development, and we are proud to be part of creating a living case study that demonstrates how sustainability can be integrated into every aspect of modern life. Together, we are setting a new gold standard for holistic sustainable living in Egypt and beyond.”
Ayman Waheed, CEO of SolarizEgypt said:”The successful operation of our second solar plant in El Gouna Red Sea reflects the strength and maturity of our long-standing partnership. The expansion demonstrates that the first project delivered tangible value and created confidence to scale further. Together, SolarizEgypt and El Gouna Red Sea are building a replicable model for privately financed renewable-energy infrastructure that supports the destination’s continued growth and sustainability ambitions.”
Also, Aly Elsewedy, Vice President at Energya Industries stated:” “This investment reflects our conviction that renewable energy is not simply part of the future, it is an increasingly important part of the infrastructure we need to build today. At Energya Industries, we are actively expanding our investments in renewable energy and looking for opportunities where we can combine long-term commercial value with meaningful environmental impact.

El Gouna Red Sea provides an ideal setting for a project of this scale and ambition., and we are proud to be a major equity investor and owner in an asset that contributes directly to cleaner energy generation and a more sustainable model of development. For us, this is part of a broader ambition: to continue growing Energya Industries’ presence across the energy value chain while investing in the technologies and infrastructure that will shape the next generation of energy in Egypt and the region.”
El Gouna Red Sea’s sustainability strategy extends across the infrastructure and operations that support the town’s long-term growth. Its desalination infrastructure strengthens water security and supports the needs of its growing residential, hospitality, and business sectors, while the Green Star Hotel certification program embeds more sustainable practices across hotel operations. This approach builds on a long-standing track record, including becoming the first destination in Africa and the Arab region to receive the Global Green Town Award in 2014. More recently, the $155 million sustainability-linked loan from the IFC has further embedded measurable environmental and resource-efficiency goals into El Gouna Red Sea’s long-term growth and investment strategy.

El Gouna Red Sea also operates a closed-loop wastewater system, through which 100% of municipal wastewater is treated and reused within the town. In parallel, up to 90% of municipal waste is recycled, further supporting responsible resource management across the destination.
Sustainability also extends to everyday mobility, with electric tuk-tuks supporting lower-emission transportation across the town and demonstrating how environmental considerations are integrated into the daily destination experience.
It is worth mentioning that Solarize-2 is part of a wider sustainability journey that continues to shape how El Gouna Red Sea grows and operates. By combining investment in renewable energy with water security, wastewater reuse, waste recycling, sustainable hospitality, and lower-emission mobility, El Gouna Red Sea continues to translate its long-term sustainability commitments into measurable action. As the town grows, this integrated approach will remain central to building more resilient infrastructure, improving resource efficiency, and creating long-term environmental and economic value.