In Tunisia, TuNur applied to the government to begin construction of their proposed 4.5-GW (CSP) project in the Sahara Desert. The power generated from the project is expected to be exported to Europe.
The energy generated will be transported via undersea/underground cables to Italy, Malta and France. The project would combine the generation of solar energy in Tunisia with dedicated transmission links to the European network to help meet the EU’s power demands
The project will be located close to Réjim Maâtoug in the Kébili governorate, in the south-west of Tunisia where TuNur has agreed to lease land from a local tribe.
The first stage of Sahara solar will see a 250-MW CSP tower constructed, along with a dedicated transmission line through the Mediterranean Sea to Malta. This phase is estimated to cost €85 million, and a further €1.6 billion for the cable link.