Tunisia's Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Fatima Al-Thabat Shibb, has approved four solar projects with a combined capacity of 500 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
France-based Qair International will build a 100 MW facility in the Kasr region of Gafsa province and a 200 MW project in the Al-Khabna region of Sidi Bouzid Governorate. French developer Voltalia will construct a 100 MW solar farm in Gabès province. A consortium of Norway's Scatec and Japan's Aeolus, a unit of Toyota Tsusho, will develop a 100 MW PV plant near Mazouna in Sidi Bouzid Governorate, all equiped with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
"These projects are expected to come into operation starting in 2027 and will be able to produce about 1,100 GWh per year, equivalent to 5% of the national electricity production and an economy of about 250 thousand tons of natural gas, worth about $125 million per year," the ministry said in a statement.
The tender advertisement offers further details on the scope of the work, alongside expected timelines and eligibility criteria.
A statement from the World Bank says the work will help it better inform the Tunisian government in the procurement of solar parks, as well as contribute to broader dialogue on structuring hybrid power purchase agreements.
