Promotion of Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency in Tunisia

Overview

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Renewable Energies

Solar Water Heater

The “PROSOL”-programme started in 2005 to revitalize the Tunisian solar water heater market. The financing scheme consists of a capital cost subsidy up to 55 Euros, provided by the Tunisian government, a loan mechanism for domestic customers to purchase SWHs, paid back through the electricity bill and discounted rates on the loans. The suppliers, who act as indirect lenders for their customers, must be accredited by the Tunesian Energy Agency (ANME). People eligible to PROSOL must have an electricity service contract with STEG. The “Collective Prosol Programme” in Tunisia, a subsidy programme for solar thermal installations in the tertiary sector, started back in 2007. The application rate was low first, but then the commercial solar thermal market gained certain momentum. ANME designed the financial scheme in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2008. The programme aimed at the installation of 60,000 m2 of collector area in the tertiary sector between 2008 and 2011, including 80 hotels. This aim has been missed by far at the end of 2011. The main great achievement of the PROSOL programme is to succeed in shifting a cashbased market to a credit-based market reducing the weigh of such investment on the purchasing power of the population. The water heater market has doubled in
10 years from 550,000 units in 1999 to 1,180,000 in 2009. LPG-fired boilers still dominate the market with a share of 65%, decreasing form 72% in 2004. Electric water heaters have been reduced from 19% auf 6% of the market due to the growing share of natural gas heaters and solar water heaters. According to estimates made by the National Agency for Energy Efficiency (ANME) solar thermal technology for water heating could satisfy 70% to 80% of the water heating needs in the residential sector. In September 2010, in the residential sector only and for heating purposes (no cooling) 470,000 m2 were installed. All the panels are flatplate collectors and 100% of the systems installed are passive solar systems as they are all Integral Collector Storage (ICS) units. The number of companies SWHs, eligible within Prosol, has reached 47 by the end of 2010. By the same time, 1,042 installers were acting in the market.

Detailed analysis on the collective SWH market in Tunisia can be downloaded here ("Etude du développement des systèmes solaires thermiques collectifs dans le résidentiel", 2011, CAMI):

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Wind Energy

STEG began developing wind power in the early 2000s by implementing an initial capacity of 10 MW in Sidi Daoud in 2001, which was extended to 20 MW in 2003 and 55 MW in 2008. With the comissioning of the new wind farms of Kchabta (average windspeed of 8.9 m/s) and Metline (9.5 m/s) near to Bizerte, the total installed capacity reached 245 MW in 2012.

Tunisia has very interesting wind power potential estimated at around 8,000 MW and with wind sites showing more than 3000 full load hours. In the scope of promoting wind energy in Tunisia, and implementing the state’s renewable energy policy, a Wind Atlas for Tunisia was established in 2009. It provides data on wind resources in Tunisia and identifies the potential by region. Measurements were made at 20 and 40m. The atlas is presented in GIS format (Geographic Information System) and data overlays are available in 10m, 60m, 80m and 100m. It shows that there are good wind conditions (speed exceeding 7m/s at 60m hight) in the regions of Bizerte and Nabeul, in the central regions (Kasserine) and in the southern regions (Tataouine, Western Cape, Gabes, Kebili). The realization of the atlas required the development of wind measuring masts in 17 different sites, and the use of statistics and data from the National Institute of Meteorology. Funding was supported by the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development, AECID, CENER and the Community of Navarre, in partnership with ANME who led the project. Considering the ratios in terms of MW installed per unit area, and occupancy of 1% of the country, the gross wind energy potential in Tunisia is estimated to more than 8000 MW.

Within the objective to reach 30% contribution of renewables in the electricity generation mix of 2030, wind power is supposed to contribute 15% to the overall electricity mix. Depending on the different demand scenarios, this would correspond to an installed wind power capacity of between 1,5 and 2,5 GW in 2030. Determining factors for the future development of this sector in Tunisia include the opening of the electricity market to private investors and the possibilities for exporting wind power to Europe.

For more information about wind energy in Tunisia, see:

• Wind site assessment study, German ProfEC/GIZ, 2011
  

The purpose of the site assessment was to elaborate an overview and to derive recommendations about which sites are ost suitable for potential wind farm planning activities, thereby respecting the existing infrastructure, wind resource databases and a minimum space for 50 MW installed capacity at each site.

• Feasibility study for a wind parc within the autoproduction framework, German ProfEC/DFIC/GIZ, 2011 (in french)
  

The objective of the study was to analyse the technical and economical feasibilty of a 60 MW or 120 MW wind farm at the site of Thala in the east of Tunisia.

Photovoltaics

So far, only approximately 3,5 MW of PV systems on solar roofs have been installed (2013). Besides, Tunisia is currently revising its Solar Plan with the goal of accelerating set goals and facilitating legal procedures. In addition, decisions on the future electricity mix for Tunisia are expected for the coming months, which may imply PV installation goals of ca. 2 GW by 2030 depending on the chosen scenario. To foster the PV development in the residential sector the project PROSOL-ELEC has been implemented in Tunisia. This includes a grant from the National Fund for Energy Conservation (FNME) representing 30% of the investment costs of the PV system and a ceiling of 2,300 TND per kWp. Further incentives include the provision of a credit for the PV system.

Concentrating Solar Power

The transmission grid

Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency in the Industry

The Tunisian primary en...

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

The energy efficiency programme for buildings aims to improve the thermal performance of residential and tertiary sector buildings, by developing thermal regulations suited to the climate context in Tunisia. The purpose of these regulations is to define the minimal standards to be applied for the design and construction of residential and tertiary sector buildings by:

• developing minimum technical energy-saving specifications for projects to construct or extend office buildings and multi-family residential buildings;
• establishing blueprint auditing for new projects and extension projects in the construction sector;
• defining conditions and methods for carrying out blueprint energy audits in the residential and tertiary sectors, within the framework of specifications approved by ministerial order.

Although the regulatory framework provides for access to benefits and subsidies in accordance with national efforts in favour of energy management, achievements are still somewhat limited, with around 12 blueprint audits and 12 signed programme contracts, representing a total investment of around 0.6 million dinars.

For further information, see:

"Etude sur l'application de la reglementation thermique des batiments en Tunisie", Econoler/Accelea/GIZ (2012)

Cogeneration

Cogeneration development in Tunisia was launched in 2001, with the publication of the December 2002 decree (2002- 3232) establishing rules and provisions for the implementation of cogeneration projects. Despite the high potential of around 600 MW estimated by ANME (430 MW in the industrial sector and 170 MW in the tertiary sector), the established objectives have yet to be attained. As of end 2012, total installed capacity was around 36 MW with a yearly production of 236 GWh.

Further Information

• Tunisia Energy Situation