Basaisa village, located east of Egypt’s Delta, has become known for utilizing solar energy to generate electricity and convert it into power, serving as an example of decentralized solar energy progress in the country. This significant achievement is credited to the efforts of Salah Arafa, a physics professor at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and a scientific advisor for Al Sharqiya governorate. Arafa was the first to introduce solar power and recycling agricultural waste to produce gas to rural communities in Egypt, starting with his hometown, Al Basaisa, in Al Sharqiya governorate, part of the Al Zagazig district. The project, which Arafa called his “Journey Back to the Roots,” has gained worldwide fame as one of Egypt’s most successful sustainable development projects. Arafa researched how to utilize natural resources to create eco-friendly communities in rural areas, launching the Basaisa project in 1974. While most villagers were unfamiliar with the benefits of solar energy and suffered from electricity shortages, Arafa explained to them the importance of this project as a sustainable and economical way to provide electricity. “I believe that the community in Sharqiya possesses all the necessary expertise and…
Egyptian Scientist Transforms Basaisa Village with Solar-Powered Electricity
July 12, 2024
