Smail Mougari, director of Algerian state renewable energy firm Shaems, says he expects the first 50MW solar PV project from the country’s flagship 1GW solar PV program to start up “towards end of 2023, or at the very latest in early 2024.”

But if the target is to be met, the firm must pick up the pace. The deadline for the 1GW bid round has already been pushed back twice with no new date announced (MEES, 17 June). Even the launch of the solar round in late 2021 was massively delayed (MEES, 7 January). (CONTINUED - 333 WORDS)