Egypt opens its first anaerobic gasification unit

Egypt opened its first-ever anaerobic gasification unit on Tuesday, with the aim of transforming waste in rural areas into energy and fertilisers.

The unit, located in Qalahana district in Fayoum, south of Cairo, is funded by the European Union as part of its Rural Development project, in cooperation with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and CEDARE.

Egyptian Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad alongside officials from the EU delegation in Egypt, the Italian Agency, and CEDARE visited Fayoum for the opening ceremony of the gasification unit.

The unit, the first time this innovative technology is introduced in Egypt, benefits 5000 citizens of Qalahana district.

“The gasification unit we are inaugurating today introduces for the first time in Egypt such innovative technology of transforming waste into energy and fertilisers.” Ambassador Christian Berger, Head of the European Union to Egypt said in a statement.

“It is our response to the challenges posed by plastic waste in the rural area. This is an excellent example of cooperation in support of Egypt’s Sustainable Development Goals that will lead to concrete results for climate change, but also in creating good job opportunities.”