20210531-IRENA-Utility-scale_Solar_and_Wind_Areas_Mauritania_32页_9mb

Suitability Assessment for Utility-Scale Solar and Wind Development in Mauritania

This report assesses areas suitable for utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power projects in Mauritania using a GIS-based multi-criteria approach. The analysis considers renewable resource data, infrastructure proximity (roads and transmission lines), topography, population density, and protected areas.

Key findings include:

• 23% of the country's land is highly suitable for solar PV, with a maximum development potential of 457.9 GW, assuming a land-use footprint of 50 MW/km² and 1% land utilisation factor.
• 18.5% of the land is highly suitable for wind power, with a maximum potential of 47 GW, at 5 MW/km² footprint and 1% factor.
• Suitable areas are concentrated in northern and eastern regions, away from population centers.

Cities with significant potential are Nouakchott, Nouadhibou, Kiffa, and Zouérate, where local infrastructure, land availability, and lower population density enhance project feasibility.

The methodology assigns weights based on expert pairwise comparisons and aggregates criteria via weighted linear combination. Limitations include dependence on assumed thresholds and data quality.

These results guide further site-specific assessments for renewable energy planning and policy development.