The Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII) released an analysis that shows southern areas of the Mediterranean were ideal for onshore wind, particularly in western Morocco, central Algeria, and Egypt. The group said wind energy was cost competitive with current base load power plants. Countries in the region have approved very ambitious wind power targets for 2020 including 2 GW in Morocco, Algeria’s 500 MW, Tunisia’s 600 MW, Libya’s 1.5 GW, and Egypt’s 7.2 GW.
DII is working with Algeria’s utility Sonelgaz to help the country establish a larger wind sector. DII said, “Given the very good wind conditions at selected sites and assuming favorable local financing opportunities, wind power plants in Algeria can achieve LCOEs of 6.5 €ct/kWh to 8.5 €ct/kWh. When including transmission costs to Italy via a HVDC interconnector, wind electricity exports from Algeria could amount to 9-10 €ct/kWh.” The group added that Algerian onshore wind plants could be commercially competitive at Italian wholesale market prices by next year.
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