Solar energy
According to its geographical situation, Algeria holds one of the highest solar reservoir in the world.
The insolation time over the quasi-totality of the national territory exceeds 2000 hours annually and may reach 3900 hours (high plains and Sahara). The daily obtained energy on a horizontal surface of 1m² is of 5 KWh over the major part of the national territory, or about 1700 KWh/ m² / year for the North and 2263 KWh / m² / year for the South of the country.
Solar potential in Algeria
Areas |
Coastal area |
High plateaus |
The Sahara |
Surface (%) |
4 |
10 |
86 |
Average duration of sunning (Hours/year) |
2650 |
3000 |
3500 |
| Received average energy (Kwh/m2/year) | 1700 |
1900 |
2650 |
This solar deposit exceeds the 5 billion GWh.
Eolian potential
Algeria has a moderate wind speed (2 to 6 m/s, see the wind chart). This energy potential is ideal for the water pumping especially in the high plains.
Geothermal energy potential
The compilation of the geological, geochemical and geophysical data contributed to layout a preliminary geothermal chart. More than two hundred (200) hot springs have been recorded in the northern part of the country. Approximately a third of these (33%) show temperatures exceeding 45° C. High temperature springs exist in Biskra which may reach 118° C.
Thermal gradient surveys helped to identify three zones with a gradient over 5° C / 100 m :
Hydroelectricity potential
The global flows falling over the Algerian territory are important and estimated to 65 billions m3 but of little benefit to the country: restrained rainfall days, concentration on limited areas, high evaporation and quick evacuation to the sea.
Schematically, the surface resources decrease from the North to the South. Currently the evaluation of useful and renewable energies is about 25 billion cubic meters, of which the 2/3 approximately are for the surface resources.
103 dam sites have been recorded. More than 50 dams are currently operational.
See Hydroelectric power stations.
Biomass potential
a) The
forest potential
The current potential is evaluated
to approximately 37 million TOE (Tons oil equivalent).
The recoverable potential is about
3,7 million MTOE. The current rate of recovery is around 10%.
b) Energy potential of urban and agricultural wastes
5 million tons of urban and agricultural waste are not recycled. This potential represents a deposit of about 1.33 million teo / year.