Algeria

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.

The new solar energy cluster will host small and medium-sized solar enterprises, as well as research institutes and local mining companies. Meanwhile, the Algerian government has named the former CEO of state-owned utility Sonelgaz as energy minister.

The Algerian Minister of Energy said that the reference price for the first round of the upcoming auction is not expected to surpass 4 DZD/kWh (approximately $0.04/kWh).

Algeria’s prime minister has inaugurated the country’s second solar module manufacturing facility in Batna. The French-Algerian module maker intends to double the factory’s capacity to 60 MW at a later stage.