# Optimization of Electricity Generation Technologies to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Egypt
); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.N.) J.-H.  
Hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy in Egypt, which makes it the third largest energy source following NG and oil. In 2016, Egypt installed a 2.8-GW capacity hydroelectric power plant that generated 13.8 TWh, which accounted for 7.2% of the total power generation in the country. The Aswan High Dam and Aswan Reservoir Dams across the Nile River are major sources of Egypt's hydroelectricity even though the potential of the Nile River hydropower has been overly exploited. Egypt has only 30 MW of solar-generation capacity according to IHS Markit. The Egyptian renewable-energy sector has become quite important in international enterprises and organizations. Norwegian Scatec Solar has concluded a financial agreement with Egypt for the construction of six solar photovoltaic (PV) plants with a 400 MW combined capacity inside a 1.8 GW solar park that Egypt aims to establish at Benban. Saudi Company Acwa Power also concluded an agreement for three solar PV power facilities in the same site with a total capacity of 120 MW. Egypt has substantial wind-power resources, especially in the Gulf of Suez and the Nile Valley. The wind farms in Zafarana (547 MW), Gebel El-Zeit (200 MW), and Hurghada (5 MW) have a combined wind-energy capacity of 753 MW according to IHS Markit. The government decided to install 14 wind turbines to generate a 7.2-GW capacity electric power in 2020. Egypt intends to add nuclear power to its energy mix, and has signed a preliminary agreement with the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom to build a commercial plant in the El Dabaa site. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted that the proposed nuclear power plant at the El Dabaa site will be a four-unit plant where each site generates a gross electric-power capacity of 1200 MWe, producing a total of 4800 MWe of electricity. The reactor type to be constructed is VVER-1200/V-529 [4]. Nuclear energy is used to generate electricity, which results in nuclear waste. Nuclear waste is a major issue throughout the nuclear sector, particularly in nuclear industrial zones. A number of projects are being worked on for the final disposal of radioactive waste in the world; for example, deep disposal of spent nuclear fuel at the Olkliuoto site in Finland, and the planned spent fuel repository at Forsmark in Sweden (at a depth of 500 m in rock bed). Moreover, nuclear power plant technologies have been subsequently improved (generation to generation, e.g., I, II, III and IV) to ensure and maintain the maximum level of safety and considering waste reduction [5]. Nuclear energy has a low operating cost; although the construction cost is huge, once a nuclear power plant is built, the operating and maintenance costs are very low when compared with fossil power plants. Operating costs include operating and maintenance (O&M) and fuel. The fuel cost figure includes used fuel management and final waste disposal. These costs, while usually external for other technologies, are internal for nuclear power plants [6; 7]. Currently in Egypt, the government-proposed form of funding such costs in the form of a levy on the electricity price of USD 0.001 per kWh for radioactive waste and spent fuel management, and an additional USD 0.001 per kWh for decommissioning [8]. In order to improve the quality of life of Egyptian citizens, the Egyptian government launched a new national agenda in February 2016 under the name Egyptian Vision 2030. This vision will be adopted by Egyptian organizations. Caring for environment is a pillar on which the vision is based. This vision aims to decrease greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission from the energy sector 5% by 2020 and 10% by 2030, and to reduce dependency on oil and gas as fuel for electricity production from 91% to 27% by 2030, and increase dependency on renewable energies such as solar, wind and nuclear from 1% for solar and wind to 16% solar, 14% wind and 9% nuclear [9].