Tunisia’s 100 MW Kairouan solar plant“will be ready” this year, Tunisian Energy Minister Neila Nouira Gongi said in an interview with Zawya (watch, runtime: 16:04). Her statements come nearly a year after Dubai-based renewable energy developer Amea Power was awarded a concession and power purchase agreement for the solar plant in March 2022.

BACKGROUND- The solar plant was awarded to a consortium that includes Amea Power and Chinese energy solutions provider TBEA Xinjiang New Energy Company in 2019. Construction at the plant began late last year.

All part of a renewables bonanza: The Kairouan project is part of Tunisia’s push to build solar plants with a combined capacity of 500 MW across the country. As part of its national strategy to develop solar plants, Tunisia is looking to build a 200 MW plant in Tataouine, a 100 MW plant in Gafsa and two 50 MW plants in Tozeur and Sidi Bouzid. In total, the country aims to increase the share of renewables in its energy mix to 35% by 2030, equivalent to an additional installed capacity of approximately 4 GW.

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