The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies of the Republic of Tunisia has tendered 70 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects to be developed across the country.

The bid-submission deadline is August 15, 2018.

The capacity tendered has been divided into two batches. One batch consists of six 10 MW solar PV projects and the other comprises ten 1 MW solar PV projects. The power generated from these projects will be sold to the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas.

This announcement follows another tender floated by the country recently for the development of 500 MW of solar PV projects across the country.

Previously, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies, Republic of Tunisia also awarded solar PV projects totaling 64 MW.

These projects were also awarded in two batches. ENI International ETAP, Shams Technology SA, NRSOL SA ATD Sicar Altus, EPPM Engineering procurement and project managing Nozha Daoued Charfi, Agrimed SA Tunisia AE 3000 Espagne Alimpack Tunisie AB Corporation, and Smart Energies International SA Tozzi Green Spa Nizar Tounsi will be developing the solar PV projects of 10 MW each.

SMTE SUD Multiservices Pour Le Transport ET LES Enterprises and Nasraoui Khaled will be developing projects of 1 MW each, Ameur Hammouda Abdellatif Hammouda Adel Dhibi will develop a 9,949 kW solar PV project whereas Fatteh Nadia will develop a 9,999 kW solar PV project.

The switch to renewables, especially solar is gaining momentum in Tunisia and several other African countries where access to electricity still remains a distant dream for millions. There have been several financing deals announced recently by development banks to support solar development in the Africa.

Recently, the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a $324 million (~₹20.84 billion) in loan support for two renewable energy projects. The projects are being developed in Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire.

The African Development Bank also approved a $1.5-million grant from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to support the Nigerian government’s implementation of Phase 1 of the Jigawa 1-GW Independent Power Producer (IPP) Solar Procurement Program.

In another deal, The European Investment Bank (EIB) announced plans to provide $25 million in financing to low-cost solar power provider D.light design to strengthen energy access in Africa through the installation of solar kits that do not require grid connectivity.

Image credit: By Amy Keus from Constanta, Romania [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons