Tunisia’s energy gap sparks solar push

Tunisia’s electricity production falls short of national demand, said Mohamed Ali Fenira, a member of the Industry Committee in the Assembly of People’s Representatives, reported the African Manager on July 29th.

Power outages have hit several regions as consumption nears 5,000 megawatts, while output struggles to reach 4,200 megawatts.

Nearly all of Tunisia’s electricity comes from Algerian gas. Yet, Algeria, Tunisia’s sole gas supplier and partner in energy trade, cannot provide support due to its own domestic strain. “Electricity must be available continuously, without interruption,” he insisted, urging a rapid scale-up in photovoltaic energy.

Fenira announced that construction on the Tunisia-Italy electrical interconnection project begins next month. The grid link will allow Tunisia to export excess electricity, available for eight months of the year, to Italy, and import it back during peak demand. Likewise, Tunisia has partnered with the UK in another clean energy project.

But progress in solar energy remains stagnant. “Photovoltaic development is not advancing as it should,” Fenira said. Many factories want to install solar systems, but the bureaucratic process takes over a year, deterring investment. The state buys only 30% of the surplus energy from local producers while foreign concessionaires receive minimal funds. Households receive even fewer incentives.

The MP criticised past failures in Tunisia’s energy transition and warned of ongoing risks. “This is the only hope to avoid power cuts,” he said.

Fenira urged legal reforms to remove barriers in land access and investment. He supports the proposed Article on projects of national interest, which would grant automatic permits, particularly for energy developments.

Within Tunisia’s larger development plan by 2030, the country targets 35% renewable energy by then. “Energy independence by 2035 is possible,” Fenira concluded, provided storage and nighttime supply solutions, like hydrogen, are scaled up.

African Manager, Maghrebi.org