Developing One of the World’s Largest Solar Parks

Recognizing the need to combat climate change, the state-owned Egyptian Holding Company for Electricity mandated a goal of generating 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2022. To help meet that ambitious goal, Egypt’s New and Renewable Energy Authority tasked PGESCo with heading development of an equally ambitious solar project. At a capacity of 1.8 gigawatts, the Benban Solar Park is one of the largest solar facilities in the world. The park, located 40 kilometers northwest of Aswan, consists of 32 separate plots, each of which was developed by a separate company. PGESCo had to effectively coordinate the contributions of all parties and combine their production into a single facility.

Combining Individual Contributions with Common Infrastructure

PGESCo determined they could combine the efforts of the 32 sub-facilities with common infrastructure. All power generation would feed into four electricity substations, three of which measure 15,000 square meters in size, while the fourth measures 50,000 square meters. Underground 220 kilovolt cables would deliver power to an existing 500 kilovolt line. However, providing basic infrastructure would not be enough, as PGESCo had to also oversee all operations on the site and manage the numerous connections between the plots, substations, and transmission lines. PGESCo realized traditional forms of project management would not be able to coordinate such a large, complex project.

Coordinating Work with Data Management

A longtime user of Bentley applications, they knew ProjectWise could provide the detailed management this sprawling project needed. The application established a web-based connected data environment, allowing them to manage all project documents. Every participant could access documentation from the location and platform of their choice, giving them the information needed to connect their plots with the shared infrastructure and other plots while out in the field. ProjectWise’s interoperability with third-party applications, including Microsoft Teams, also allowed participants to keep using familiar workflows.

Eliminating a Major Source of Carbon Emissions

By using ProjectWise to provide all project data and coordinate work, PGESCo was able to combine the 32 plots into a single facility, even as many of the plots had different layouts and technical specifications. The massive solar facility now brings clean, renewable energy to over 350,000 residential customers and eliminates 2 million tons of carbon emissions each year. Additionally, the project generated 6,000 jobs for the local economy during construction.