Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika reaffirmed that the national programme for the development of renewable energies is a “national priority”. He has in fact instructed his ministers to speed up its implementation. “While boosting our economy, developing renewable energies would make us more independent, in terms of energy,” he said.

Adopted in May 2015, this programme plans for the establishment of 22GW of renewable energies for the local market by 2030, in addition to 10GW which will be exported. Main sources of energy which will serve to reach this goal include solar, wind, co-production, biomass and geothermal.

Implementing the programme according to projections, should add 300 billion m3 of gas to the economy from 2021 to 2030. The excess will be sold so as to increase the country’s revenues. Moreover, the project will allow for the creation of 300,000 direct and indirect jobs. As for energy consumption, it will decrease 9%, and result in the country getting a profit of $42 billion by 2030.

The announcement by the President comes after Sonelgaz’s CEO, Noureddine Bouterfa, said the plan related to renewable energies was a “utopia”.

Gwladys Johnson