IRENA: Utility-scale Solar and Wind Areas: Mauritania - June 2021 - eng (pdf)

Identifying potentially suitable areas for solar and wind project development can assist countries in reducing assessment costs. This allows the government to conduct more detailed evaluations that account for the investment and operating costs of prospective plants in the areas that are deemed most suitable.

This study seeks to map suitable areas in Mauritania for deploying utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power projects.

It provides insights on the country’s potential to adopt solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power; information on potential areas to explore in national grid infrastructure planning; and input for high-level policy models to ensure universal electricity supply and support for the long-term abatement of climate change. The study combines high-quality resource data with supplementary factors (protected areas, topography, transmission lines and road network proximity) using a suitability assessment approach.

The findings of this study indicate that a significant portion of Mauritania’s land area is highly suitable for solar PV and wind development, with a maximum development potential of approximately 457.9 gigawatts (GW) and 47 GW for solar PV and wind projects, respectively. These findings intend to prompt further action to identify specific sites for in-depth assessment using high resolution spatial and temporal data.