Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Solar Country Notes

Algeria
Algeria receives an average insolation of 2 000 h/yr, with the high plateaux and the Sahara receiving 3 900 h/yr. The average solar energy received is 2 400 kWh/m²/yr, ranging from 1 700 kWh/m²/yr in the north of the country to 2 263 kWh/m²/yr in the south.

Whilst the share that solar power contributes to the overall supply of energy is small, it has proved invaluable for the electrification of isolated settlements, especially in the south of the country. Rural PV electrification programmes accord priority to regions that are sparsely populated and situated far from the grid. The Algerian WEC Member Committee reports that at end-2005 approximately 1.4 MWp of photovoltaic capacity had been installed for this purpose. In addition, PV systems provided power for water pumping (0.4 MWp), public lighting (0.2 MWp), telecommunications (0.5 MWp) and other uses (0.2 MWp). Total output from PV devices is reported to have been approximately
3 000 MWh in 2005.