Algeria is seeking to become a difficult figure in the electric power equation

Based on its experience in supplying gas to European partners and its large energy potential, Algeria is looking, in light of the changes taking place in the international energy market, to position itself as a difficult figure in the equation of “electrical energy” in the Mediterranean region and to become a “safe and reliable supplier of electricity.”

Clean electricity

In terms of numbers, Algeria, as an electricity-producing country, provides a production capacity of more than 25,000 megawatts, with an average need of 12,000 megawatts, and a peak of no more than 17,000 megawatts.

These indicators allow Algeria to offer a daily capacity of 10,000 megawatts in the regional market. According to the Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, “with the embodiment of the renewable energies development program, this capacity can be raised by 15,000 megawatts of clean electricity.”

According to the international expert in the field of energy transition and renewable energies, Ali Chaknan, Algeria has turned into a destination for Europeans in order to embody long-term strategic partnerships, not only in the field of natural gas supply, but also in the fields of renewable energies, including green hydrogen production and waste management.

Ali Shaqnan, an international expert in the field of energy transition, confirmed, in contact with “Sky News Arabia Economy”, that “there are various offers and agreements signed with the Algerian side to take advantage of the enormous energy potential that the country abounds in,” explaining that “this approach has become a strategic challenge and priority.” For Algeria, because energy is a great catalyst for any developmental dynamism in the country.

During a conference recently organized by the Algerian Sonelgaz complex, under the slogan “Electrical interconnection in the Mediterranean basin, a factor for regional integration and a catalyst for energy transition,” the Algerian Minister of Environment and Renewable Energies, Samia Mawalfi, called for the actual embodiment of the electrical network connection of all Mediterranean countries, which would allow the opening of A Mediterranean energy market, pointing to the “significant and enormous” potential in renewable energy, especially solar ones, at the level of the countries of the southern bank.

In this regard, expert Ali Shaqnan says, “Algeria’s production of electric energy meets the needs of the country, and therefore the surplus can be exported to Italy via a submarine cable, as part of the strategy of dealing with the European Union in the field of expanding partnerships outside natural gas.”

For his part, Hamza Bougadi, Director of the Institute for Economic Studies, believes that “Algeria is in an excellent location due to the geostrategic changes that have occurred in the energy market. With the rise in prices, the scarcity of supply sources, and the increasing pressure to secure energy needs, Algeria has found itself the focus of all attention due to its geographical proximity to Europe and its reliability.” in its contractual obligations, as well as its infrastructure and expertise.

Bogadi stated that Algeria aspires to diversify and increase its revenues from energy exports, in addition to searching for new markets that enhance its economic position. This ambition is in line with its economic project that is designed to build a diversified economy based on sustainable growth.

Solar energy.. the future

It is known that Algeria has embarked on implementing a plan to develop electricity from renewable sources, which includes the production of 15,000 megawatts within 2035, as part of a strategic vision to diversify energy sources.

According to experts, Algeria has enormous potential in the field of exploiting solar energy, with insolation that can reach 3,900 hours annually in the Great Algerian Sahara, which covers a large proportion of the country’s area.

Algeria attaches great importance to its vital project, “Solar 1,000 megawatts”, to produce electricity from solar photovoltaic energy. The project aims to produce 15,000 megawatts of electricity in the horizons of 2035.

The first part of the project has begun with a capacity of 1000 MW, as the ground has been selected for the completion of 5 solar photovoltaic stations in five states of southern Algeria.

About this project, Ali Shaqnan, an international expert, says, “It has three dimensions represented in the social, environmental and economic dimensions, with a significant positive impact on the national economy, at a time when a real energy transition towards renewable energies is being achieved.”

In the same regard, the director of the Institute for Economic Studies, Hamza Bougadi, highlighted that “Algeria possesses natural capabilities that make it the future of renewable energies, as the Algerian desert is one of the regions that receive the most sunlight in the world.”