According to an announcement from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the establishment of solar energy stations in museums and several archaeological sites in Egypt has begun. These include the Giza Pyramids Visitor Center, the Royal Jewelry Museum, the Alexandria National Museum, and the Manial Palace Museum.
Mostafa Waziri, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that the initiative is a result of a memorandum of agreement that was signed in November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, alongside the COP-27 climate summit.
The MoU was signed by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Industrial Modernization Center (IMC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Small Solar Cell Systems Project.
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Capacity and cost of the solar energy stations project
The solar energy stations being implemented in the three museums and archaeological site has a total capacity of about 85 kilowatts, and an estimated cost of US$95,000.
Waziri further stated that the project aims to implement the ministry’s objective. Which is represented by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, to convert museums and archaeological sites into green sites. That rely on solar energy as a sustainable and practical replacement for electric energy.
He said, “This will help Egypt achieve its 2030 sustainable development strategy. By saving, protecting, revitalizing, and utilizing all forms of cultural heritage.”
Additionally, the installation of solar power stations in the targeted archaeological sites is intended to encourage the use of small solar cell systems, according to Hesham Samir, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Antiquities and Museums Projects.
The Sharm el-Sheikh National Museum will soon have a solar power station installed, according to Samir. Samir also indicated that the installation will take place shortly.
