Egypt faces the challenge of ensuring industrial growth and development while stabilizing or even reducing resource inputs and safeguarding the environment.
Over the last decade, industrial energy productivity in Egypt has not improved at the same rate nor received the same attention as labour and material productivity, partly because of low energy prices due to significant government subsidies. According to the “Egypt: Improve Efficiency” report of the World Bank, most industrial processes and equipment in Egypt consume 20% or more energy than international best practices.
National efforts are being made to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions in different sectors including energy, transportation and industry. Egypt has committed to focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energy as key mitigation measures. Specific interventions for the industrial sector include Energy Efficiency improvements and solar energy.
The Government of Egypt has identified energy efficiency in Electric Motors Driven Systems (EDMS) as one of the highest impact opportunity areas to increase industrial energy efficiency while combating climate change. EDMS consume 60% of the total industrial electricity demand in Egypt
UNIDO approach
The risks of climate change are well documented and its 
impacts are already affecting people and ecosystems. Meeting the climate challenge requires industries and institutions — both public and private — to be able to assess and understand climate change, design and implement adequate policies and to work towards resource efficient societies and low emission growth. “Decoupling” natural resource use and environmental impacts from economic growth is a key requirement for overcoming the pressing challenge of growing resource consumption levels.
Against this background, UNIDO supports countries in their environmental management efforts, including the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and the provision of sustainable energy. It helps create new green industries, establishing national road maps for greening the supply chain, determining benchmarks and indicators, disseminating and sharing best practices, running clean technology programmes, undertaking various capacity-building exercises and contributing to international forums with the necessary research and expertise.
Industrial Motors Energy Efficiency Project (IMEEP) follows the UNIDO approach that promotes energy efficient motors in the industrial sector.