Tunisia’s first floating solar station starts to operate: Here’s what you need to know

Cape Town – Tunisia’s first floating solar station, located next to a Tunis industrial park, has officially started to operate, as Africa looks towards renewable energy sources to mitigate it’s energy issues.

Here’s what you need to know about the project:

• The project is a joint effort by Qair, the French renewable power producer, and Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG).
• The installation will inject 265MWh of clean energy into the network of the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) every year.
• The Mena floating solar power plant has a nominal power of 200 kilowatt peak (kWp) – the equivalent of the consumption of 390 people, allowing an estimated reduction of about 120 tons of CO² emissions per year.
• This solar power plant is financed by a grant under the Fund for Studies and Aid to the Private Sector (Fasep) managed by the French Treasury, according to developers.
• Omar Bey, an executive for the French-based renewables group says the originality of the project means that they can use water instead of taking up land that can be used for other things like farming or homes.

Morocco and solar energy

According to Moroccan energy authorities, the North African country has invested $5.2 billion in solar projects so far, with the Noor Ouarzazate complex leading the charge in the country’s mission to generate 80% of its electricity from renewable energy resources by 2050.

The Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex is a 580MW power plant located 10km north-east of the city of Ouarzazate, Morocco.

According to energy regulators in the North African country, Morocco currently produces 4 030MW from renewable energy out of a total generating capacity of 11 000MW.

In a recent interview with Forbes magazine, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali said that she wants the North African country to become a “destination for renewable energy”, citing reports by Morocco World News.

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