Eni and Sonatrach have officially opened a solar lab and laid the foundation for a 10 MW photovoltaic plant at the Bir Rebaa North (BRN) production complex in southeast Algeria’s Berkine basin.
The Solar Lab displays various photovoltaic panels that will be tested in the extreme irradiation conditions of southern Algeria, ensuring data collection and analysis and allowing for the identification of the most efficient technologies, according to an Eni press release issued on November 17.
The Solar Lab will be open to universities and other public institutions for research purposes and to help promote the development of renewable energy sources in Algeria.
To further assist in reducing the facility’s hydrocarbon production’s carbon footprint, a second photovoltaic plant will be connected to the BRN complex. Together with an existing 10-MW photovoltaic facility launched in 2018, it will double the amount of renewable energy available to power the upstream processes. It will be followed by another PV facility at the Menzel Ledjmet East Project (MLE) production complex, also in the Berkine Basin, whose construction is expected to begin in 2023.
These programs are consistent with Eni’s global net-zero policy and are a part of a larger decarbonization strategy that also includes energy efficiency, green hydrogen, venting monitoring, and zero routine flaring projects.
Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni, commented on the occasion, saying, “Today we celebrate the great alignment between Eni and Sonatrach towards carbon neutrality.” “Decarbonizing our heritage companies is a pillar of Eni’s net-zero strategy.”
