Trump Drops Solar Power Torch, Egypt Picks It Up

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Everyone is noticing that China and India are leapfrogging ahead in the global renewable energy race while the US lumbers behind. Now here comes Egypt nipping at America’s heels, too. The sun-soaked nation has been making some big moves in the direction of solar power and other renewables over the past two years, and a new developments in January indicate this is only the beginning.

It’s too bad the president of the United States refuses to promote solar power on the global stage, but of late he has been busy with other matters, such as the construction of a new ballroom, the blowing up of the NATO alliance, the burying of the Epstein files, and, of course, inventing new ways to blame murder victims for being murdered by DHS agents. If you have any thoughts about that, drop a note in the comment thread. Better yet, find your representatives in Congress and let them know what you think.

Egypt Puts The Solar Power Pedal To The Metal

CleanTechnica began taking notice of Egypt’s solar power journey back in 2015, when the nation began attracting more attention from global solar developers and investors. The promotional effort landed an initial commitment to bring 1.4 gigawatts of solar power to the country, through a campaign spearheaded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Redevelopment in 2018.

That was just for starters. By 2023, Egypt was off to the races as home to the 1.8-gigawatt BenBan solar farm near Aswan, billed as the fourth largest solar power plant in the world at the time. In July of 2025, word dropped that another 1.1 GW solar plant is in the works, in the Nagaa Hammadi region. The new facility will integrate with a 200 megawatt-hour BESS (battery energy storage system), marking Egypt’s first solar-plus-storage project.

And now, at a time when the US solar industry is canceling multiple projects at a cost of thousands of jobs, Egypt is on a roll. January kicked off with news that the Norwegian firm Scatec has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, under which Scatec will deliver a total of 1.95 GW of solar power and 3.9 GWh of BESS from a forthcoming facility in Minya.

Scatec announced the new commitment on January 11, noting that the new PPA “further cements Scatec’s leading position and commitment to delivering reliable, renewable energy at a large scale in Africa.”

“By integrating advanced solar and battery technologies, we are providing Egypt with sustainable, around-the-clock power and grid stabilising services, supporting both the country’s energy transition and the region’s long-term economic development,” Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog emphasized.

Another New Solar Factory For Egypt

That was just the tip of the solar iceberg. Also on January 11, Reuters reported that Scatec will add to its portfolio in Egypt with a new solar-plus-storage project in Minya Governate, with a capacity of 1.7 GW on the solar side and 4 GWh of storage.

Reuters additionally reported that the Chinese solar manufacturer Sungrow will set up a factory in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

The news organization Egypt Today also took note. “Sungrow’s factory, set to be the first of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, will cover 50,000 square meters and produce up to 10 gigawatt-hours of battery storage capacity annually once fully operational, with production slated to begin in April 2027,” Egypt Today reported.

“This project is pivotal in enhancing the stability and efficiency of Egypt’s national electricity grid and strengthens SCZone’s role as a leading industrial hub attracting global investment,” they added.

It’s Not Just Sungrow

Sungrow is not the only global solar manufacturing firm to set up shop in Egypt. On January 24, ELITE Solar announced the commissioning of a 5 GW solar factory in the SCZone. “The facility includes 2GW of high-efficiency solar cell capacity and 3GW of solar module production, creating a fully integrated manufacturing platform designed to serve utility-scale, commercial, and industrial clients across the globe,” ELITE explained in a press statement.

“The Ain Sokhna facility is a key component of ELITE Solar’s international growth strategy, pairing centralized technology leadership and global standards with localized manufacturing in strategic regions. This approach enables the company to respond efficiently to customer demand across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America (MENA),” ELITE elaborated.

ELITE (not to be confused with similarly named companies) is headquartered in Singapore with offices in the US. The new factory in Egypt adds to its current roster of manufacturing facilities in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Egypt.

Meanwhile, Here In The USA …

ELITE may seem new to the solar power party, having first surfaced by that name in 2023. However, the ELITE Solar moniker is a rebrand of the company formerly known as the California-based firm ET Solar, which launched in 2005.

The 2023 rebrand initially deployed alternating caps, as in “EliTe Solar,” apparently to emphasize the company’s past life as ET Solar. However, the all-caps version apparently won out.

ET, EliTe, or ELITE, as of 2023 the company’s sights were set on the US solar market to support its overseas manufacturing facilities. “The US market remains our primary focus, and our products have been successfully utilized in various large-scale utility projects across the country,” ELITE stated when it announced the rebrand in 2023.

Much solar power water has passed under the bridge since 2023, particularly after Trump took office on January 20, 2025. However, just last month the leading technology performance insurance firm Ariel Green (a division of Ariel Re) indicated that ELITE will continue to grow its US business.

Under the headline “Insurance from Ariel Green Bolsters ELITE Solar’s Reliability for U.S. Project Developers and Investors,” Ariel Green announced that it has insured ELITE’s solar module performance warranty for up to 30 years.

“ELITE Solar has been recognized as a Bloomberg New Energy Finance Tier 1 manufacturer since 2012 and brings more than 20 years of proven reliability for solar module production,” Ariel Green enthused in a press statement on December 2.

“ELITE Solar’s vertically integrated supply chain ensures consistent quality, traceability, and reliable, on-time delivery to its clients across the globe,” they continued. “This insurance coverage strengthens ELITE Solar’s long-term commitment to provide stability, enhance investor confidence, and de-risk solar assets.”

Losing The War On Solar Power, Bigly

Despite Trump’s many and diverse efforts to throttle down on solar development during his second term, the demand for solar power isn’t slowing down. Solar investments dipped last year compared to the previous year, but investors still poured $22 billion into solar projects in the US in 2025.

In another indication that the domestic solar industry is poised for a renewed growth spurt, Ariel Green reminds everyone that the US solar market is ripe with opportunities.

“Partnering with trusted solar manufacturers like ELITE Solar aligns perfectly with Ariel Green’s mission to expand our solar module coverage in the U.S. and accelerate the global energy transition,” the firm explained in its December 2 announcement.

Your move, Mr. President. … Oh, wait, you’re probably too busy figuring out how to keep the Epstein files locked away from public view. Never mind.

Photo: The Singapore-based solar manufacturer Elite Solar is among the global stakeholders rushing to fill the demand for solar power in Egypt…and in the US, too (cropped, courtesy of Elite Solar).