Naturally, a project like this is sure to make a lot of Algerians happy. Any government that pumps money into big solar power initiatives is sure to benefit from a boost in public sentiment and approval. In this case, the 4 GW solar PV initiative is expected to create 56,000 jobs in the construction phase, and 2,000 later on for operations.
The importance of energy independence came to mind as another potential reason for the grand scheme, but it appears the Algerian government has a bigger vision than that.
“In addition to satisfying national energy demand and preserving our fossil resources, the completion of this project would allow us to position ourselves on the international market, via the export of electricity at a competitive price, as well as the export know-how,” an official statement from Algerian prime minister Abdelaziz Djerad added.
See No Joke — Algeria Plans 4 Gigawatt, 5 Year Solar Power Initiative
Algeria is talking about building 4 gigawatts of solar power capacity in 5 years. That’s a pretty stunning target.