Align Algeria’s Energy Diversification Strategies with Energy and Climate Sustainable Development Goals

Algeria belongs to a set of nations with a model of socio-economic development that has created a high dependence on hydrocarbon exports, leaving them vulnerable to fluctuations in international market prices. Additionally, its economy has a structural imbalance, marked by weaknesses in agricultural and non-hydrocarbon-oriented secondary sectors. To overcome the pitfalls of hydrocarbon-centered development, we develop three alternative energy pathways designed for Algeria to explore the contributions to SDG 7 (energy) and SDG 13 (climate). These scenarios analyze Algeria’s future power system pathways and focus on the country’s national energy policies related to integrating renewable energy and developing hydrogen production. The TIMES-DZA model was used to assess technological configurations of the power and hydrogen sectors by 2070 and demonstrate these strategies’ impact on CO2 emission reduction, aligning with sustainable development goals, specifically SDG 7 and SDG 13. The results emphasize the critical role of renewable energy and hydrogen in achieving decarbonization in the power sector, advocating for a more inclusive approach that incorporates low-carbon technologies to help Algeria reach a resilient and low-carbon energy future.