Algeria selects sites for 1GW solar programme
Algeria’s Ministry of Energy Transition and Renewable Energies has identified 11 sites for the ‘Solar 1,000’ programme, which will involve the development of solar plants with a total capacity of 1GW
Algeria’s Ministry of Energy Transition and Renewable Energies has identified 11 sites for the ‘Solar 1,000’ programme, which will involve the development of solar plants with a total capacity of 1GW.
The 11 sites have a combined total area of 4,250 hectares and include locations in the Ouargla, El-Oued, El-M’Ghair, El-Bayadh, Ghardaia and Bechar provinces.
The projects will be developed under an independent power producer (IPP) model.
The ministry revealed that it has set up a task force to prepare the tender documents for investors to participate in the bidding process for the Solar 1,000 programme. The ministry is planning to launch the procurement process by the end of 2021.
Energy & Utilities reported earlier this year that the government had published a decree on April 29 giving authority to the Ministry of Energy Transition and Renewable Energies to manage and oversee the procurement process of the 1GW programme.
Another three tenders of the same size are expected to be issued each year between 2022 and 2024.
Algeria has set an ambitious target of installing 16GW of renewable energy capacity by 2035. The North African country currently has 25 solar installations with a total capacity of 423MW, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).
Energy & Utilities reported in May 2020 that the Algerian government had unveiled plans to develop 4GW of photovoltaic (PV) solar capacity by 2024. The programme will require investment of between $3.2bn and $3.6bn.
According to the government, the programme will create 56,000 jobs during the construction phase and 2,000 long-term jobs for the operation and maintenance of the plants.
The PV projects will play a significant part of meeting the rapid demand growth for electricity in the North African country, which is growing by more than 6 per cent a year.
As part of its National Renewable Energy & Efficiency development plan, launched in 2015, Algeria has set a target for renewables to account for 27 per cent of the total installed power capacity by 2030, which will be about 22GW. More than 13.5GW of the total is expected to come from PV solar.
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