Gov’t pauses approvals for solar grid connections: The Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (Egyptera) has temporarily halted the acceptance of requests to connect solar power plants to the grid until a regulatory framework for net metering and solar self-consumption is finalized, a government source told EnterpriseAM. Solar energy companies have expressed concern over the suspension, with several sources telling us the decision came out of the blue and wasn’t accompanied by a timeline for resumption.

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The regs in the making: The upcoming regulations will include a requirement for storage batteries to constitute 10% of installed capacity, a measure aimed at enhancing added value and aligning Egypt with global solar energy storage trends, the government source said.

The impact is far-reaching: The suspension has left contracts signed by 270 registered solar companies and other unregistered service providers in limbo, with many already fronting the costs of solar panel imports, Beneshty Solar Chairman Romany Hakeem told us. Most of these imports are for large factories switching to solar energy as part of the state’s renewables push, he said.

“This [halt] has caused significant problems for solar energy companies, which have obligations and contracts with customers, including factory owners,” Cairo Solar said in a statement. The company has reportedly received “increasing complaints” from stakeholders surprised by the move, which it believes could deter private investment and lead to economic losses that are difficult to recoup.

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