A view of the Zafarana wind farm in Egypt. Victoria Hazou for the National
A view of the Zafarana wind farm in Egypt. Victoria Hazou for the National
A view of the Zafarana wind farm in Egypt. Victoria Hazou for the National
A view of the Zafarana wind farm in Egypt. Victoria Hazou for the National

Masdar and Infinity Power partner to develop 200-megawatt wind farm in Egypt


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Abu Dhabi clean energy company Masdar and Infinity Power have signed an agreement with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company to supply renewable energy from a new wind project in Ras Ghareb, Gulf of Suez.

Once constructed, the wind farm will develop a capacity of 200 megawatts and is estimated to produce 810,000 megawatt-hours a year, Masdar said on Monday.

That is expected to prevent 403,672 tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent emissions annually.

One megawatt of electricity can provide enough power for about 1,000 households.

“The addition of the Ras Ghareb wind farm to our growing roster reinforces our commitment to positioning Africa as a leader in sustainable energy,” said Nayer Fouad, chief executive of Infinity Power.

“This is one of the many steps we will take as we pursue our ambition to develop renewable energy projects in every part of Africa.”

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, attends a ceremony to mark Masdar's deal with Infinity Power. Photo: Masdar
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, attends a ceremony to mark Masdar's deal with Infinity Power. Photo: Masdar

Infinity Power, a joint venture between Egypt’s Infinity and Masdar, aims to have 10 gigawatts of operational renewable energy by 2030.

This goal could supply electricity to 12 million homes across Africa by the decade’s end and help cut carbon dioxide emissions by an additional 15 to 20 million tonnes annually.

“This project marks another milestone in our journey to unlocking Africa’s clean energy potential, and further advancing the clean energy transition,” said Mohamed Al Ramahi, chief executive of Masdar.

Masdar, owned jointly by the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company – better known as Taqa – Adnoc and Mubadala, is active in 40 countries.

It aims to expand its capacity to at least 100 gigawatts of renewable energy by the end of the decade, from about 20 gigawatts now.

Egypt, the Arab world’s third-largest economy, is looking to step up solar, wind and green hydrogen projects as it addresses declining natural gas production.

The country aims to increase power generation from renewables to 42 per cent of its total by 2035.

In June, Egypt’s sovereign wealth fund signed four green ammonia agreements worth up to $33 billion with several companies.

The agreements included an $11 billion deal with Frankfurt-based DAI Infrastruktur aimed at setting up a green ammonia project in East Port Said, an Egyptian cabinet statement said at the time.

The Sovereign Fund of Egypt also agreed to team up with BP, Masdar, Egyptian infrastructure company Hassan Allam Utilities and Infinity Power to invest in a green ammonia plant in Ain Sukhna Port on the western coast of the Gulf of Suez. The project is expected to attract a total investment of $14 billion.

The bio

Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

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Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku. 

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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

Director: Goran Hugo Olsson

Rating: 5/5

Surianah's top five jazz artists

Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.  

Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.

Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.

Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.

Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.

Tips to keep your car cool
  • Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
  • Park in shaded or covered areas
  • Add tint to windows
  • Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
  • Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
  • Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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Uefa Champions League, Group C
Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Updated: August 19, 2024, 1:19 PM