A 100MW photovoltaic power station is set to be constructed in Tunisia. Wael Chouchane, the secretary of state to the Tunisian minister of industry, mines, and energy, together with Chinese companies broke grounds to mark the start of works.
The project marks Tunisia’s energy diversification efforts and its broader energy transformation strategy. It is being set up by a consortium comprising China Energy Engineering Group Tianjin Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd (Energy China TEPC) and Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd (NWEPDI) of China Power Engineering Consulting Group.
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Energy target
The project which located at Kairouan Province, is designed to operate for 25 years and is expected to generate 5.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity during its lifespan. This initiative not only contributes to Tunisia’s renewable energy capacity but also signifies the growing collaboration between China and Tunisia in the renewable energy sector.
The government aims to increase the share of renewable energy from about 8% in 2022 to 35% of electric generation capacity by 2030. Tunisia has significant potential for renewable energy, particularly wind and solar power. However, the country is still heavily dependent on fossil gas for electricity generation and is currently facing an energy crisis.
The Tunisian Solar Plan foresees a share of renewable electricity of 35% and an installed capacity of 4GW by 2030. In 2021, Tunisia had achieved only 400 MW, with the majority stemming from wind power and smaller amounts in solar and Hydropower.
