Brussels, 07/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 28 March, Germany and Algeria signed a “declaration of intent” in Berlin for an “energy partnership”.
The two countries are significant actors in the energy cooperation projects in the Mediterranean - Algeria, a large oil and gas producer, has announced strong commitment to renewable energy (especially solar); Germany, a heavyweight in the European economy, is also at the cutting edge in alternative energy (especially in solar through the Desertec foundation, in which Algeria expressed interest on 10 March).
The “high level dialogue” that the two countries are proposing will focus on “different themes of energy policy, the development of renewable energies, the improvement of energy efficiency and the protection of the environment”, says the Algerian centre for renewable energies (CDER). Other areas that are favoured, according to the same source, are “the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, the promotion of inter-enterprise industrial partnerships, and training”.
Quoting the Algerian ministry for energy, CDER states that the dialogue also intends “to unfold to other areas, especially in the Mediterranean region”. Questioned by EUROPE, Paul Van Son, the CEO of the Dii industrial initiative which was coupled with Desertec, hails the Algerian announcements and notes that the demand for renewable energy projects is strong in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Dii is now headquartered in Dubai and not Munich. (Fathi B'Chir)