Algeria

A new report analyzing 10 solar markets throughout Africa claims that the continent’s PV market could expand from about 5 GW at present to up to 30 GW by the end of the next decade.

At the end of December, the Algerian government issued a tender for off-grid gas/diesel and solar projects in non-interconnected areas in the south of the country.

Through the tender, the Algerian Government will select IPP solar projects with a capacity range of 10-50 MW. The projects, to be located in the southwestern part of the country, will be developed on a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis. Domestic content rules require the use of solar modules assembled in Algeria, as well as locally manufactured mounting structures and cables.

The new tenders, which will be open to both domestic and international players, will select grid-connected IPP projects totaling 150 MW and off-grid hybrid gas/diesel and solar projects with a combined capacity of 50 MW.

In a conversation with pv magazine, Mouloud Bakli, president of the Algerian solar energy association, Club Energia (branch of FCE), says that multiple solar pipelines are set to be restarted by the Algerian government. Furthermore, two new tenders, for Independent Power Producer, and solar hybrid power, projects, will be issued by the end of Q2 2018. For all of these plans, local content requirement rules will apply. The existing local PV module industry, on the other hand, is expected to reach a combined annual capacity of 550 MW by the end of the year, while several manufacturers of mounting structures, cables, solar glass and junction boxes are already operating in the market.

Through the tender, the Algerian government aims to deploy 50 MW of renewable energy generation capacity in the south of the country – where local power utility, Sonelgaz is currently still relying on diesel generators for electricity production – and another 100 MW to 120 MW at other unspecified locations.

The Algerian manufacturer will distribute its modules mainly to the Algerian market, but also in other African countries, including Senegal, Ivory Coast and Benin.

The French group and the Algerian gas and power provider will team up in the areas of solar PV technology and energy efficiency. Sonatrach is also the state-owned entity responsible for the implementation of Algeria’s solar and renewable energy targets, and for the launch of the long-awaited 4 GW auction for PV.

The project will be developed by local renewable energy developer Soliwind. Around 30% of the energy needs of the airport will be covered by the power output of the PV system.

The country’s new minister for renewable energy said that a special committee for the tender will be now established, and that the results of the review will be published together with her new action plan for renewables.