Project description

Title: Promotion of renewable energies and energy efficiency in Tunisia
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Tunisia
Lead executing agency: Agence Nationale pour la Maîtrise de l’Energie (ANME), an agency of the Ministère de l’Industrie et de la Technologie (MIT)
Overall term: 2003 to 2013

Context

Energy consumption in Tunisia is rising steadily as a result of economic and social developments. However, the cost of supplying energy is currently high and the way it is generated has a negative impact on both the environment and the climate. The country’s heavy dependence on fossil energy, most of which has to be imported, is proving increasingly detrimental to the national budget and economy. To date, Tunisia has not fully exploited its significant potential for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Objective

Much greater use is made of renewable energies and energy efficiency is increased. Potential for savings in energy consumption is harnessed. The Tunisian government has a long-term sustainable development strategy for its energy sector.

Approach

The project supports the Tunisian Government in aligning its energy policy with its sustainable development strategy. It is also advising on how to create an enabling environment that promotes renewable energies and energy efficiency. A key area is its support for implementation of Tunisia’s Solar Plan (Plan Solaire Tunisien) which was approved in 2009. The project works with Tunisia’s industry ministry, energy agency and other government, private sector and civil society actors.

• The project promotes investment in renewable energies and energy efficiency by providing information and technical advice and by supporting relevant projects.
• Advice is offered to providers of energy technologies and services on how to improve their products and services.
• Information on how to use renewable energies, save energy and access funding instruments in these fields is given to Tunisian energy consumers.
• Consulting engineers, private companies, architects and public sector employees receive training in the field of renewable energies and energy efficiency.
• Through development partnerships with the private sector, the project supports European and Tunisian companies in their endeavours to transfer sustainable energy technologies.

Results achieved so far

The project helps reduce consumption of fossil energy sources such as oil and natural gas, thus driving down energy costs for government, the private sector and other energy consumers. Economic activity is stimulated and new jobs created. Reducing pollutant emissions improves air quality in Tunisia and helps to mitigate global climate change.

• A legal framework for increasing the use of renewable energies and improving energy efficiency was created, using new government funding instruments.
• From 2009, Tunisian households and private companies have for the first time been able to produce electricity from renewable energy sources for their own consumption, feed any surplus into the national grid and receive payment for it.
• The quality of services provided by the National Agency for Energy Conservation has been significantly improved. A network of regional offices was set up, making it possible to decentralise these services.
• Since 2004, energy substitution and efficiency improvement measures have produced fossil energy savings totalling more than 2,800 kilotonnes of oil equivalents.
• Over 3,000 new jobs have been created in the field of renewable energies and energy efficiency.

Further information

• Ministère de l’Industrie et de la Technologie (MIT)
  Tunisian Ministry of Industry and Technology; its responsibilities include energy policy and coordinating the energy sector.
  http://www.industrie.gov.tn
• Agence Nationale pour la Maîtrise de l’Energie (ANME)
  National Agency for Energy Conservation; it reports to the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
  http://www.anme.nat.tn