European-Algerian agreement for renewable energy development

Algeria and Europe have decided to join in the field of clean Energy, with the aim of installing 22.000 MW of renewable energy by 2030 in the North African country, of which 10,000 MW will be exported to Europe.

To this end, an agreement has been signed by the Algerian energy company Sonelgaz and the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII). The latter is an industrial consortium consisting of 56 companies (including Enel) from 15 countries, aimed at developing the Desertec project for solar energy harnessing in the Mediterranean. The long-term objective of the Desertec project is to meet 15% of Europe’s electricity needs by 2050.

Algeria is a highly suitable solar energy source for Europe, which in turn, thanks to this agreement, will be able to benefit from Western technology and industry in order to reach its target, namely, that its energy mix should include a 40% share of renewable sources by 2030.

The agreement was signed within a more general convergence between Algeria and Europe in the energy field. The negotiations, which started 5 years ago, could end in 2012. This cooperation also include Europe’s shares in Algeria’s large mining resources. In this context the Algerian government recently approved the purchase made by Enel of 18.375% of the important Isarene gas field (country’s south-east) from the Irish company Petroceltic.

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