Renewables
Algeria brings largest solar facility online
Algeria has commissioned its largest operational solar facility yet, a 300 MW installation in the El Oued province.
Key points
- Sonelgaz owns the new El Oued Foullia solar installation.
- The plant forms part of an initial 3.2 GW national renewable energy rollout.
- Algeria aims to deploy 15 GW of solar energy capacity by 2035.
What happened
Algeria has commissioned the El Oued Foullia solar energy station in the El Oued province, establishing the facility as the largest operational photovoltaic installation in the country to date. According to pv magazine, the project belongs to Sonelgaz, the state-run electricity and gas provider, while open-access tracking platform GEM designates China State Construction Engineering Corporation as the operator.
The installation constitutes a component of the initial phase within the national renewable energy development strategy of the Algerian administration. This phase seeks to deploy approximately 3.2 GW of renewable generation capacity divided among 21 installations across 14 provinces. Longer-term objectives aim for the implementation of 15 GW of solar capacity by 2035.
Government announcements indicate that bringing the 300 MW facility online decreases dependence on conventional energy supplies while fostering regional and economic growth. This deployment represents the third major solar initiative commissioned within the country this year, following the launch of the Tendla and El-Ghrous facilities, which each possess a capacity of 200 MW. Data from the Africa Solar Industry Association database indicates that Algeria possesses 2.87 GW of operational solar capacity, incorporating 1.7 GW classified as commercial and industrial projects alongside an additional 220 MW situated in various phases of development.
Why it matters
For energy investors and policymakers across the African continent, Algeria's latest infrastructure milestone highlights the growing momentum behind large-scale solar deployment in North Africa. Although the nation achieved universal electricity access with 100 percent of the population connected in 2024 according to World Bank figures, its power sector has historically relied heavily on fossil fuels, with fuel exports accounting for 93.1 percent of merchandise exports in 2024. Furthermore, World Bank data from 2021 recorded the renewable share of electricity output in Algeria at just 0.9 percent, trailing far behind the global average of 27.8 percent for that year. Initiatives like the El Oued Foullia project are therefore vital for diversifying domestic energy supply and freeing up more hydrocarbons for export markets. As countries across the region seek to balance growing domestic electricity consumption—recorded at 1,917.9 kWh per person in Algeria in 2024—with international climate commitments, structured national programs of this scale offer a clear framework for mobilising both public utilities and international engineering contractors.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Renewables are the fastest-growing part of the world’s energy system. The COP28 goal is to triple capacity by 2030, and solar mini-grids are the fastest route to power for millions of people without electricity.
0.9% of electricity in Algeria was renewable in 2021Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
