Solar panels. (Photo: VCG)

Egypt expects the 1.6-gigawatt solar park it is building in the south of the country to be operating at full capacity in 2019, the investment ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The two-billion-US-dollar project, set to be the world's largest solar installation, has been partly funded by the World Bank. Some parts of it are already operating on a small scale, while other areas are still undergoing testing.

Egypt aims to meet 20 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2022 and up to 40 percent by 2035. Renewable energy currently covers only about three percent of the country's needs.

"Egypt's energy sector reforms have opened a wider door for private sector investments," World Bank president David Malpass said during his visit to the site alongside Egypt's Investment Minister Sahar Nasr.