North Africa s solar power for Europe

4 FAQs about North Africa s solar power for Europe

Could North African solar power power Britain?

Some 11.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy would be supplied to Britain from the North African country, along with 5GW of battery storage. “It has huge potential,” says Nivedh Das Thaikoottathil, an Oslo-based analyst with Rystad Energy. “One solar panel in North Africa generates two to three times what one does in Europe.”

How much energy will North Africa need to support Europe?

With these three initiatives online, about 7.2 GW of interconnector capacity and 23 GW of renewable capacity will have to be deployed in North Africa to support Europe. This includes 13.5 GW of solar PV and 9.5 GW of onshore wind, requiring an investment of more than $27.5 billion to develop these renewable projects.

How much solar power does North Africa have?

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.

Could North Africa be Europe's future energy partner?

Politics aside, North Africa is increasingly seen as the golden prize for Europe's twin desires to green its energy system and end its reliance on Russian gas. “North Africa is Europe's most important potential future trading partner in renewable energy,” says El-Katiri. That is good news for fighting climate change.