RCREEE signs a new framework agreement for RSWE's Environmental and Social Management System Policy Manual

July 2020- RCREEE and the Red Sea Wind Energy (RSWE) Consortium, in cooperation with ECO Consult, have officially signed a framework agreement for Environmental and Social Management System Policy Manual for a 500 MW Wind Power Plant in the Gulf of Suez under Build, Own and Operate (BOO) scheme.

The manual establishes a structure and system to ensure the effective implementation and adaptation of environmental and social (E&S) mitigation and management measures for the plant.  It will also help managing the plant’s E&S risks, impacts and opportunities in compliance with the region's sustainability policies and objectives throughout the development and operation of the plant.

This comes under Active Turbine Management Program activities which was initiated in 2015 to determine the optimum wind turbines operations periods during the heavy bird migratory seasons. The project was launched due to the Gulf of Suez location as it falls into one of the heaviest bird migration routes in autumn and spring seasons (Rift Valley / Red Sea flyway ) . This flyway is the second most important flyway for migratory birds, with over 1.5 million birds of 39 species, including six globally threatened species, using this corridor between their breeding grounds in Europe and West Asia.

Accordingly, the manual takes in account Egyptian regulations and legislations as well as the E&S standards and requirements required by the International financial institutions (IFI) that are supporting the plant.

About Active Turbine Management Program (ATMP)

In 2015, RCREEE initiated the ATMP to determine the optimum wind turbines operations periods during the heavy bird migratory seasons. RCREEE has signed the program’s Protocol with three governmental institutions namely Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) and Egyptian E Egyptian Electricity Transmission Co. (EETC). The program is divided into 3 main sub-programs; the Bird Monitoring Program, the Shutdown on Demand Program and the Fatality Monitoring Program that are pertinent for all Wind Power Plant Private Investments in the Gulf of Suez region.

ATMP offers great benefits to investors and developers interested in the Gulf of Suez Area. By developing Site Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), ATMP enhances projects’ bankability and environmental sustainability.

Today, ATMP manages 1515.5MW cumulative capacity of wind power plants in Gulf of Suez, Egypt. RCREEE has succeeded in signing cost-sharing agreements with 14 international wind developers for financing the environmental studies in GoS 

About the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) 

The Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) is an intergovernmental organization with diplomatic status that aims to enable and increase the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency practices across Pan-Arab countries and is the Official technical arm institution of both League of Arab State – Energy Department and Arab Ministerial Council for Electricity (AMCE).

RCREEE teams-up with governments, international organizations, IFIs and Private Sector via several forms of partnerships to initiate and lead clean energy policy dialogues, strategies, technologies, managing the facilitation of RE investment platforms and capacity development in order to increase Arab states’ share of tomorrow’s modern energy solutions.

Having today 17 Arab countries among its members, RCREEE strives to lead renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives and expertise in all Arab states based on its strategic plan approved by its Board of Trustees.