Renewables in Countries of North Africa: Problems and Prospects of Use

The article examines the approach of the North African countries to the development of renewable energy sources (RES). It is shown that there are a number of factors that reinforce the need for the development of renewable energy in the region, including the unstable macroeconomic situation, population growth and urbanization, climate change, the EU policy on geographical diversification of energy suppliers, and the EU’s reorientation to alternative energy sources. At the same time, energy transfer carries significant risks both for the functioning of energy systems and for the economy. The development of green energy requires large investments, often inaccessible to African countries, and access to technology; at the same time, the inclusion of renewable energy in energy systems makes the latter less stable due to the emergence of dependence on weather changes. In addition, the countries of North Africa have their own hydrocarbon resources, and the refusal to use them is simply illogical. When it comes to costs, green energy is more expensive than traditional energy. In this regard, unconditional adherence to the EU’s energy policy and climate agenda cannot be considered an optimal scenario for the countries of the region. The study showed that the countries of North Africa, having announced overly ambitious goals for the development of renewable energy, faced the inability to implement plans. In this regard, the task of developing green energy should not be more significant than the task of maintaining the functioning of the energy industry as a whole, and renewable energy sources should not replace but only complement traditional energy.