Tunisia has its first floating solar panel power plant

A new floating solar panel power plant has come into operation in Tunisia.It is considered a prototype for larger power plants nationwide.

• The country's first floating solar panel power plant comes into operation in Tunisia.
• Inaugurated in June, the plant is managed by a French company and will produce the energy needed for around 400 people.
• The floating station is considered a prototype for larger power plants nationwide.

In Tunisia has come into operation the first floating solar panel power plant.The Mena floating photovoltaic plant is located on the lake that borders the industrial area of ​​Tunis and has a nominal power of 200 kilowatts peak, the equivalent of the consumption of 390 people.It is estimated that it will allow a reduction of approximately 120 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

For now, therefore, the numbers are limited but this solar station it is considered a prototype for larger power plants at national level:placing the panels on the water can help to leave the land free for agriculture or other uses.

Floating photovoltaics could safeguard water resources

According to the French renewable energy company Qair, which manages the plant inaugurated in June, the use of floating solar panels would safeguard water resources and would make the panels more energy efficient.

“Floating solar panels allow first of all the reduction of water evaporation when installed on a body of water.Preventing water evaporation in countries like Tunisia means allowing dams to maintain more water reserves,” explained Qair.

Only 2.8% of Tunisia's energy mix comes from renewables

In 2015 Tunisia has set ambitious goals for renewables, but last year clean sources represented only 2.8 percent of the energy mix of the country, while the rest came from natural gas.

North Africa is a land full of sunshine, so why not make the most of it?Tunisia could take inspiration from its neighbor Morocco, regional leader in photovoltaics:the country currently produces about a fifth of its electricity from clean sources.

The focus is on North Africa on renewables

It is no coincidence that North Africa was eyed by the largest energy investors:as he says Bloomberg, Gautam Adani, president of the Indian logistics-energy conglomerate Adani Group and Asia's richest man, intends to build a large renewable energy project (which would mix solar, wind power and producing green hydrogen) in Morocco with the aim of providing zero-emission electricity to Europe.

Even Italian giants such as Enel, Eni and Snam are focusing on North Africa.In short, the energy transition of Europe towards renewable energy it could pass through the Mediterranean.Italy, therefore, has an excellent opportunity to seize.