Mauritania ideal for economic growth from renewable energy

According to a recent report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Mauritania is ideally positioned to gain significant economic growth in the renewable energy resources industry.

This industry would allow Mauritania to improve its access to energy while growing the region’s local economy.

The report, titled the Mauritania Renewables Readiness Assessment, states that developing renewable energy in the area could be helped with the current electricity network comprised of mini-grids. The industry would mostly use wind and solar resources, and it could be further improved by cooperating with West Africa and the Maghreb region.

Taking advantage of this opportunity would allow Mauritania to have energy for its own domestic economy development but also would promote the country as a renewable energy exporter.

“Mauritania has already taken steps towards the large-scale use of renewable energy both for on-grid and off-grid applications,” Adnan Z. Amin, IRENA director-general, said. “Now, with renewable energy sources cost-competitive with oil-generated electricity in most regions in the country, Mauritania has an opening to rethink its energy strategy, and build a framework integrating technical solutions and business models based on renewable energy.”

Since 2000, Mauritania’s share of households that have access to electricity has doubled. Unfortunately access to energy sources is still limited throughout the nation because of economic and geographic variables.