ENVIRONMENTAl IMPACTS OF THE USES OF SOLAR ENERGY IN EGYPT STUDY USING GIS AND REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES

Solar energy is one of the most important energy resources in the world and is one of the most important sources of renewable energy because it is one of the main strategic options to meet the future needs of local and global energy, as it is available in most of the world. As well as it is a clean energy that does not pollute or harm the environment.
Distribution of solar energy on the surface of the earth varies according to earth rotation around the sun and the difference between the distances between them throughout the year .Thus, magnitude and intensity of solar radiation on the earth’s surface varies greatly from one season to one another according to the distance between the earth and the sun distinguished by different incident angles throughout the day and the year. Density of the clouds plays an important role in obscuring and reducing amounts and intensity of solar radiation and hence it reduces amount of potential energy, which is revealed by maps of spatial distribute of solar radiation and maps of the potential energy in Egypt.
In this study factors affecting solar radiation were analyzed and the potentials energy was estimated. The study included the analysis a questionnaire of the solar energy companies of (20) companies to reach a number of objectives, including to reveal to what extent the Egyptian culture in the field of solar energy, especially from the trend of establishing solar power plants in Egypt and the use of solar energy in various areas instead of traditional energy, some of the obstacles faced by investors in the field of solar energy in Egypt and how to overcome these obstacles in the near future have been cleared from the questionnaire.
The questionnaire revealed as well that there is noticeable increase in using solar energy instead of conventional energy. Therefore, solar power stations are involved in a variety of activities such as industry, lighting, cooking, farming, water pumping,...etc. These activities ascertain the importance of solar energy to achieve sustainable development and environmental security. In that manner, the future strategic plan of Egypt, which known as 2030, mainly emphasizes on increasing usage of renewable energy generally, and solar energy in specific in the major projects.