Massive investments and sharp increase of energy technology imports into Algeria

A combination of rising population, ambitious housing programs, projects such as metros and railway electrification, and the growth of desalination and energy-intensive industries means that demand for electricity is expected to continue growing rapidly in Algeria. Forecasts envisage annual average consumption growth of between 5 and 9% until 2020, excluding any electricity exports.

Algeria is looking for a close partnership with the European Union and their neighbours in the Maghreb so that Algerian plants may help deliver the clean energy needed over there. The plan is to boost energy exports and meet growing demand, both at home and abroad.

Dramatic capacity increases are therefore needed. Algeria’s second massive investment program worth US$ 150 billion between 2010 and 2014 includes US $ 30 billion for the expansion of the electricity industry, US $ 63 billion for the oil and gas industry as well as US $ 1 billion for the erection of solar-hybrid and wind-energy power plants.

Whereas overall imports have increased from US $ 26.3 billion in 2007 to US $ 37.99 billion in 2008, a plus of 44.2%, the import figures for electro technology reflect the briskly rising demand especially in this sector. In 2008, imports of turbines for instance increased by 93%, to US $ 667 million. During the first quarter of 2009, the increase even accounted for 160% compared to the same period in 2008. Imports of electrical pumps gained 35 % in 2008, imports of cables increased by even 79%.

Algeria moving fast towards the clean energy mix of the future

The Government of Algeria sees ideal opportunities of combining Algeria’s richest fossil energy source – the natural gas – with Algeria’s most abundant renewable energy source – the sun – by integrating solar power into natural gas combined cycles.

Work has begun on the first of four industrial-scale hybrid gas/solar plants in Algeria. The Algerian government aims to produce 6% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2015. This initiative has been welcomed around the world as one of the first major moves towards renewable energy by an oil exporting nation. The plant is the first project to combine gas and steam turbines with solar thermal input, and will generate 25 megawatts of power from solar energy alone.

According to a study of the German Aerospace Center, Algeria - with 169,4 TWh per year -  has the largest long term land potential for concentrating solar thermal power plants, around 5000 times the country’s annual power consumption – and roughly two times that of the entire world.

The government aims to produce a considerable amount of the country’s energy from renewable sources. Until 2015, more than 1000 megawatts of power from solar energy alone shall be generated through various projects in Algeria. Renewables are expected to provide 35% of electricity in the country by 2040.

The Desertec and the Transgreen projects

The Desertec and the Transgreen projects target a sustainable supply of electricity for the European Union (EU) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) up to the year 2050. With an estimated investment of 400 billion euros over fourty years, thirty Solar Thermal Power (CSP) plants shall be erected in the Sahara in order to establish, by 2050, a capacity of 100 GW of exportable solar power in MENA. The objective being to cover 15% of the energy needs of the European Union and the majority of the needs of the MENA countries.

“Intelligent solutions for the future’s energy mix”

Achieving a sustainable energy mix for the future requires greater resource efficiency, innovative energy technologies and, increasingly, the equal integration of renewable and conventional energy sources.

Energy efficiency, security of supply and renewables will soon become critical success factors for entire regions and industries.

Exhibition programme

Renewable energy sources

•    Wind energy
•    Solar energy
•    Other renewable energy sources
•    Hydrogen solutions
•    Biomass
•    Fuel cell
•    Micro hydroelectric power stations
•    Use of steam as an energy source

Conventional energy sources

•    Oil
•    Gas
•    Coal
•    Nuclear energy

Energy saving

•    Energy saving technologies
•    Systems for metering energy usage
•    Energy saving systems

Power generation, transformation and storage

•    Power installations
•    Electric drives
•    AC and DC generators
•    Power transformers
•    Accumulators, electric batteries and cells
•    Condensers
•    Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)

Transmission and distribution of power

•    High and low voltage distribution equipment
•    Cabling and wiring products
•    Insulation materials
•    High-voltage oil-immersed switches
•    Package transformer sub-stations
•    Disconnector switches for internal and external installations
•    Low-voltage electrical devices and fittings: switches, electricity supply casing, wall sockets, connectors, adaptors, magnetic starters and other electro-technical installation products

Measurement, regulating and control equipment

•    Power semi-conductor devices
•    Controlling and measuring instrumentation and equipment
•    Protective automatic machinery and automation systems
•    Robotics
•    Secondary control circuit equipment
•    Low-voltage transformers, current and voltage transformers, inverters and converters
•    Analytical instrumentation
•    Diagnostic equipment
•    Low-voltage switching devices