Tunisia Awards Licenses for 500-MW Solar Projects to International Firms

Tunisia has granted licenses to four international companies to develop solar farms with a combined capacity of 500 megawatts (MW), valued at 1.2 billion dinars ($386.31 million), the country’s Energy Ministry announced on Monday.

The awarded firms include France’s Qair International SAS, which will construct two solar plants totaling 300 MW. Voltalia secured approval for a 100-MW project, while Norway’s Scatec and Japan’s Aeolus, a unit of Toyota Tsusho, were jointly awarded a 100-MW solar farm.

These projects mark the first phase of Tunisia’s international renewable energy tender, which aims to develop 1,700 MW of solar capacity. The government plans to complete the initiative by 2027, targeting annual savings of $200 million by reducing its reliance on natural gas.

Currently, Tunisia primarily depends on gas-fired power, but the country has set a goal of generating 35% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.