Tunisia is diversifying its sources of supply and investing in renewable energies. The objective is to reduce its dependence on energy imports. AFD is assisting the Tunisian National Oil Company (ETAP), a key player in the sector, with the development of a gas field and photovoltaic power generation.
Context
ETAP has launched an investment program to supply natural gas to the Tataouine region using gas from the Nawara gas field in the south of the governorate. The objective is to improve the distribution of wealth in the country.
Furthermore, Tunisia has set out to address the soaring energy bill by engaging in a low-carbon trajectory. This involves ramping up renewable energy generation with the objective of achieving 30% by 2030.
To this end, the public enterprise is accelerating its transition towards green energies by building two photovoltaic panel parks in the same region in order to take advantage of its exceptional sunshine, while creating jobs in a region hard hit by unemployment.
Description
The project involves a series of investments to boost this disadvantaged region and develop primary energy generation in order to reduce dependence on imports. A gas processing and bottling unit will be installed in Tataouine, supplied by pipeline from the Nawara gas field located 94 km further south. This plant will produce 40 tons of LPG a day.
At the same time, two photovoltaic power plants will be built and commissioned in the course of 2020. The first, with a capacity of 10 MW, will directly supply the gas processing plant. The second, with a capacity of 5 MW, will replace a combined cycle power plant installed on the site of the Adam concession.
Alongside these tangible investments, funds will be allocated for the deployment of human resources to strengthen the ETAP project team and assist it with the project management and coordination and the supervision of all the studies and works
Impacts
The project will firstly contribute to creating jobs and developing disadvantaged areas in this southern region in Tunisia, which has the highest unemployment rate.
In terms of energy, the exploitation and development of production on the Nawara site will reduce economic dependence on Algerian gas.
Furthermore, this project will contribute to achieving the Tunisian Government’s energy transition target through the two photovoltaic power plants.
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