Eni's investments in renewable energy in Africa are increasing, in search of the energy mix for rapid and sustainable development of the continent.
Production has just started at the photovoltaic plant in Tataouine, in Tunisia, operated by the group.
The plant has an installed capacity of 10 megawatts and will contribute to the country's decarbonisation process and to Eni's strategy of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
This is a new step forward for renewables in North Africa after last month the group laid the foundation stone of the 10 Megawatt photovoltaic plant in Bir Rebaa North, Algeria, which allows to supply local deposits with clean energy , and inaugurated Solar Lab, a twin of the laboratory created by the Eni Research Center in Novara.
Solar Lab, which is open to universities and public research institutes, has various types of photovoltaic panels that will be tested in the extreme irradiation conditions of southern Algeria, allowing for the collection and analysis of data.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Africa could meet almost a quarter of its energy needs thanks to the use of indigenous, clean and renewable energy.
In particular, southern Tunisia has conditions considered "ideal" by Eni for the generation of solar energy and has an average solar radiation potential of 1800-2600 m2/year.
The new Tataouine plant, built by a joint venture between Eni and Etap (Entreprise Tunisienne d'Activités Pétrolières), will supply the national electricity grid with over 20 Gigawatt hours per year of energy and will ensure savings of approximately 211,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents over the service life.
The electricity produced will be sold to Steg (Société Tunisienne de l'Electricité et du Gaz) on the basis of a 20-year agreement.
Eni has been present in Tunisia since 1961 and is active in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, in the management of the Transmed pipeline and in the Refining & Marketing sector.
In the country the six-legged dog also operates the Adam photovoltaic plant, also in the Governorate of Tataouine.
The energy produced at this 5 MW plant will be used at the adjacent oilfield site, reducing gas consumption and saving the equivalent of 6,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
In North Africa, the opening of a group construction site for a new photovoltaic system at the Menzel Ledjmet East Project (MLE) production complex is also expected in 2023.
In collaboration with:
Eni