A new Tunisian wind farm in the works: Saudi investment group Swicorp and Spanish infrastructure group Acciona have signed the technical and financial offer and lease commitment to build a 75 MW wind farm in Tunisia, Tunis Africa Press Agency reported on Friday. The project is estimated to cost TND 500 mn (c. EUR 149 mn) and will break ground at the end of 2025, with a construction time of 18 months.

What we know: The wind farm will include 14 wind turbines in Tataouine’s Chenini village and there are plans to build a 225-kV transmission line from Chenini to Tataouine alongside the installation of the wind turbines. The Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company plans to purchase the generated power from the wind park under the supervision of the country’s Energy and Mines Ministry, according to the state-owned newswire.

REMEMBER- A switch to renewables remains a priority for Tunisia, with the country eyeing an energy mix that includes 1.75 GW of wind power by 2030, according to a report (pdf) by the African Development Bank. The country’s wind potential is estimated at 8 GW, the report said. The government has been pushing to lure investors to tap into its wind potential, launching since May 2018 pre-qualification tenders for 500 MW of wind energy capacity, according to the newswire. More recently, Tunisian Energy Minister Neila Nouira Gongi told Zawya the country’s 100 MW Kairouan solar plant “will be ready” this year.

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