The African Development Bank (AfDB) provided Algeria a $1 billion loan to help it deal with deficit caused by slump in oil revenues. The funds will partly be used to support the government’s efforts regarding the mobilization of internal resources, in addition for investments aiming to improve business environment, which is to boost energy efficiency and promote renewable energies to be specific.

The loan comes as the country implements a national renewable development programme which aims to develop in 2016, 343 MW of renewable power stations across 14 of its wilayas. Recently, a 20 MW solar plant was commissioned in the Sedret-Leghzal region, west of Nâama.

Regarding power efficiency, Algeria has put in place in October 2016 the energy efficiency tax which can represent up to 60% of value of energy-consuming materials.

Gwladys Johnson