Renewable energy

Theoretically speaking, Egypt could cover all of its energy needs by using renewable energy, according to environmental activist Amr Gharbeia.

"Of course, it comes down to a question of cost," Gharbeia said. However, renewable energy sources would be preferable even in this respect.

"What people here prefer to overlook are the costs related to atomic fuel and waste disposal, not to mention, of course, the added costs of even a single accident at a power plant," Gharbeia said.

Major energy demands need to be met

The switch to nuclear power is being portrayed as an urgent necessity by Egyptian officials.

"Since Egypt is a developing country, where the energy demand rises by 7 percent annually, we are striving to increase our use of renewable energy sources," said Samir Hassan, the head of the Office for Renewable Energy. "But we cannot rely on wind and sun energy alone in order to cover the yearly increase in demand."

A transition to renewable energy is certainly not easy and not the sort of undertaking that can be completed overnight. However, it seems just as unrealistic to build billion-dollar nuclear reactors and then cease to use them once the switch to renewable energy is called for.

Exporting energy in the future

Environmental activists accuse the Egyptian government of carelessness. After all, since when are developing countries especially concerned with environmental protection? Some claim that Egypt is only interested in nuclear power in order to loom large among its neighbors.

Egypt is currently using only a fraction of its renewable resources, said Andreas Holtkotte, head of the Cairo office of Germany's reconstruction bank KfW. The institution is working in cooperation with Egyptians on renewable energy issues.

In contrast to environmental activist Gharbeia, Holtkotte said he regards the efforts of Egyptian officials at harnessing renewable energy as entirely serious. There was increasing environmental awareness among Egyptians, he said.

"Also at stake is the fact that the EU has established a goal of drawing 20 percent of its electric energy from renewable sources by 2020, which will not be possible without purchasing additional energy from outside the EU," Holtkotte said. As such, Egypt would offer a great solution with its proximity to both the EU, as well as the sun and wind energy belt. The EU could import the additional energy it requires from there.

Environmental protection and power plants can coexist

The use of renewable energy is ultimately not just a moral dictate - something which idealists dream and realists laugh about. Instead, environmental protection has developed into a lucrative industry. Egypt can scarcely afford to neglect the financial incentives that are related to adopting environmentally-safe practices.

However, it takes money to make money. The answer to the question about why Egyptians are opting for nuclear energy against their own interests is surprisingly simple, and it may disappoint those who were hoping for a big scandal.

The country is broke. It has no money to invest in new energy projects, whether they are renewable or not. Egypt depends on investors and creditors, who have substantially more power and money when nuclear power is concerned.

The World Bank has already approved credit for nuclear power plants in Egypt. Big international firms - including, among others, the German firm Siemens - are prepared to enter into this deal.

Salah Arafa, a physics professor at the American University in Cairo and an environmental activist, said Egypt cannot afford to be choosy.

"If I come to you, hungry, and you give me a piece of bread - not with some cheese or meat, just a plain piece of bread - then I have to take what you give, as I am not in a position to make big demands," Arafa said.

But maybe some members of the government would have liked things to turn out differently.

Author: Mahmoud Tawfik
Editor: Sabina Casagrande