Algeria opens bids in 2-GW solar tender

Algeria's state-owned utility Sonelgaz has received 90 proposals as part of an auction that aims to award projects for the construction of 15 solar parks with a combined capacity of 2 GW across the North African country.

The bids were opened on Monday at an event in the capital Algiers which was attended by energy minister Mohamed Arkab, the president of Sonelgaz Mourad Adjal and the director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Francesco La Camera, the energy ministry said.

The auction was launched in March and attracted interest from 140 candidates who obtained the tender documents. Among them, 34 came from Algeria and 106 were foreign companies, the government-owned Algeria Press Service (APS) announced.

The tender seeks to grant contracts for solar projects with individual capacities ranging from 80 MW to 220 MW. The 15 plants will be located in 12 provinces from Algeria's south to the Hautes Plaines in the Atlas Mountains in the north.

During his opening speech, minister Arkab pointed out that this project represents an initial stage in realising an ambitious programme for developing renewable energy in Algeria, aiming to achieve 15 GW of photovoltaic solar energy by 2035.

Arkab also announced that the bids in the 1-GW solar photovoltaic (PV) auction which was launched in December 2021 will be opened in September.

The minister added that Sonelgaz intends to launch a 3-GW project in November 2023, bringing the total to 6 GW.

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