Ireland’s AG Energy gets green light to build 200 MW solar park in Libya

Libya has granted authorisation to Dublin-based independent power producer company, AG Energy, to build a 200 megawatts solar power plant in Ghadames city, southwest of the country.

Libya’s Privatisation and Investment Board (PIB) issued the permit to AG Energy earlier in January. This is the first renewable energy project to be implemented by a private company in the North African country.

The development of the project, set to be located 650 km from Libya’s capital Tripoli will help the country achieve its 2025-2030 electricity plan. Libya’s electricity plan aims to capacitate the power grid to meet all the electricity needs of Libya through a mix of conventional thermal power and renewable energy sources.

Libya looking to increase renewables in energy mix

The planned project was initially a pilot project with which the Libyan authorities aimed to attract private investment in renewable energy. Libya’s Privatisation and Investment Board (PIB) and the state-owned General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) formed a joint working group to spearhead the implementation of the country’s 2025-2030 energy strategy.

As a result of the civil war and political instability that followed the fall of former President Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, Libya has lagged far behind in terms of attracting renewable energy investment, compared with its neighbours. Under its energy plan, Libya hopes to attract more investment in renewable energy and improve its energy supply system.

Under Libya’s plan, renewables will constitute 7% of the country’s electricity mix by 2020, and 10% by 2025. This will come from wind, concentrated solar power, photovoltaic and solar water heating.