Algeria did not steal Desertec from Algeria, says Sonatrach’s former CEO

Former CEO of Algeria’s energy group Sonatrach Abdelmadjid Attar said Morocco did not “steal” Desertec project from Algeria. « The government abandoned it because it did not serve its interests.”

“Desertec enterprise does not exist anymore. The German partner proposed an action plan which does not serve Algeria. It obliged it to buy and install equipment in the desert to get solar energy which would be turned in to electricity for the world. It also asked Algeria to sell its gas. Because of that, our government rejected this deal and the project was stopped,” said Attar.

« Morocco provided some plants with solar energy with the help of Saudi Arabia. Its capacity reached 350 megawatts then 500 megawatts. Algeria also has some plants in the south with 15,000 megawatt capacity. Solar and wind energy is not guaranteed. It should be accompanied with traditional energy. Most of you do not know that if a cloud passes by, the sun stops producing and everything stops working,” he added.