Nivedh Das Thaikoottathil and Kartik Selvaraju of RystadEnergy report that North Africa-Europe interconnectors could deliver 24 GW of clean energy. They write:
Europe’s transition to a greener power sector is gaining speed, with North Africa set to be a key enabler of this process. New capacity additions from solar and wind, weaker power demand and a partial comeback of hydropower and nuclear energy have seen Europe’s power mix turn increasingly green in the recent years. Rystad Energy forecasts 73% of the continent’s electricity will come from clean sources by 2035, with imports from North Africa potentially delivering up to 24 gigawatts (GW) through subsea interconnectors, supplying Europe with a reliable stream of clean power. […]
North Africa is an emerging player in energy transition within the Mediterranean – with annual power generation exceeding 400 TWh, and the region having the highest electricity access rates in Africa. The region plays a pivotal role in the advancement of onshore wind and solar PV installations, with more than 350 GW of projects currently in various stages of development, most of which are in concept phase. With installed capacity of more than 8 GW from both solar and onshore wind, North Africa presents a compelling case for renewable energy, particularly as the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of these technologies has decreased significantly, from $55-70 per megawatt-hour (MWh) to below $50 per MWh over the last decade. […]
Solar panels in sun-drenched North Africa can triple their yield compared to those in Europe, benefiting from ample space for such projects. Positioned within the Earth’s solar belt, the region’s daily photovoltaic power output ranges from 4.8 to 5.6 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per kilowatt-peak (kWp), compared to 3.6 to 4.8 kWh per kWp in Europe. North Africa also boasts significant wind potential, with wind speeds averaging between 7 to 10 meters per second. This disparity in energy potential is reflected in the capacity factors for both solar PV and onshore wind, with North African countries exhibiting more stable trends than their southern European counterparts. […]
In addition to these supply chain challenges, financing hurdles could further delay project timelines, particularly since many initiatives remain in the early development stages. Collaboration among multiple suppliers and contractors is crucial for completing cable fabrication and installation within the typical two to three-year timeframe. The concurrent development of solar PV and onshore wind projects will also help minimize delays and address issues related to cable integrity and storage costs.
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