North Africa - Flagship projects in the energy sector - French development Agency

The energy transition of North African countries aims to promote the electrification of uses, decarbonize electricity mixes, while ensuring the utilization of energy efficiency potential. At this stage, however, the region remains dependent on fossil fuels: three North African countries (Algeria, Egypt, Libya) are among the top five hydrocarbon-producing countries on the African continent.

A predominant role of fossil energies is also observed in the electricity sectors, representing between 60 and 100% of the primary energy supplying power plants in the region, with a significant difference between, on the one hand, Morocco (dependent on coal), and on the other hand, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt (dependent on natural gas).

At the same time, the region is marked by a strong increase in its electricity consumption: electricity demand has tripled since the year 2000 and will continue to increase in the coming years. Population growth, urbanization, and the development of industrial activities contribute to this trend.