Libyan steel utility LISCO signs deal with US firm to build 25 MW solar power plant

Libyan Iron and Steel Company (LISCO) has signed an agreement with a US company to construct a 25 MW solar power plant in Libya, LISCO chairman Mohamed Abdelmalik Al-Fqih told The Libya Observer on January 8. 

Libya is doubling its efforts to expand renewable energy use and ease pressure on conventional fuel supplies.

LISCO is one of the largest industrial enterprises in North Africa, headquartered in Misrata and 100% owned by the Libyan state. The complex has a design capacity of approximately 1.75mn tonnes of liquid steel per year. The company exports products like rebar, hot-rolled coils, and hot-briquetted iron to Italy, Spain, Egypt, and Albania and supplies most of Libya's domestic construction needs.

Al-Fqih made the remarks after talks in Tripoli with the National Oil Corporation (NOC), which focused on energy and gas cooperation as well as plans to localise industrial inputs. He called for stronger government support for renewable energy projects to help large industrial consumers manage rising energy costs and shortages.

During the meeting, LISCO and the NOC agreed to form a joint committee to supply pipelines for the oil and gas sector. Discussions also covered ongoing energy supply constraints and future expansion plans at LISCO, including a fourth direct-reduction unit.

According to Al-Fqih, LISCO’s natural gas demand is expected to rise sharply, increasing from about 80–85mn cubic feet per day to around 205mn cubic feet per day as capacity expands. 

Libya is implementing a $10bn national strategy that targets a 20% renewable energy share by 2035 through large-scale projects like the 500 MW Sadada Solar Park. Recent milestones in early 2026 include the launch of the "Go Green" initiative for rooftop solar and the country's first hybrid hospital systems that feed surplus power back into the national grid.