Kairouan: Construction of the 100MW Sbikha solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Kairouan began on Wednesday
“Once operational, this renewable energy plant will reduce the cost of producing electricity from natural gas by about TND 50 million per year and create more than 40 jobs ,” said Wael Chouchene, Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry in charge of Energy Transition.
Chouchene, who was joined by the Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines and the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Tunis for the launch of the project, told TAP the project, which will cost around TND 300 million, is a landmark project in terms of increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
It will promote sustainable development, encourage local investment and create new employment opportunities in engineering, construction and maintenance, he added.
The tender for the Sbikha solar plant project, launched by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines in 2019, was won by
Emirati Company AMEA POWER, which implements alternative and renewable energy projects in 20 countries around the world.
The aim of the 200-hectare plant is to diversify energy sources through the use of clean energy and to strengthen Tunisia’s energy transition.
This is the first project in a series of renewable energy initiatives with a total capacity of 500 MW.
The projects will be implemented in 5 governorates of the country: Tataouine (200 MW), Tozeur (50 MW), Sidi Bouzid (50 MW), Kairouan (100 MW) and Gafsa (100 MW).
Speaking at the event, Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA POWER, said that the project, which is co-funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFS), falls within the framework of investments in renewable and green energy.
Work on the project will take 18 months and the plant will be operational by 2025, he said.
Tunisia’s national energy strategy aims to achieve a 35% share of renewable energy in the electricity mix by 2030.
To achieve t
his goal, several alternative energy projects need to be implemented, the level of energy independence has to be improved, energy sources for electricity production need to be diversified and the cost of subsidies for the development of the green economy has to be reduced.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse