Tunisia to integrate International Solar Alliance (ASI)

India wishes to include Tunisia among the members of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). This integration will mark the anchorage point for the strengthening of the Tunisian-Indian partnership in the field of solar energy.

Tunisia intends to reduce its consumption of fossil fuels by 30% by 2030.

Tunisia could join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) despite its non-statutory geographical position. Although its solar irradiation is not negligible (between 1800 and 2600 Kilowatt-hours per square metre per year), the country is not in the equatorial zone as is the case for the 121 members of the ASI.

 A geographical restriction that India intends to lift, in order to allow countries outside the equatorial zone, such as Tunisia, to join the solar energy promotion initiative.

This reform project was announced on 3 July 2020 in Tunis by Puneet Kundal, India’s ambassador to Tunisia, who was received in audience by the Tunisian Minister of Energy, Mines and Energy Transition, Mongi Marzouk.

During the talk, the two officials expressed the mutual will of their two countries to strengthen their partnership in the field of renewable energy.

Tunisia is in fact preparing to launch major projects in the fields of photovoltaic solar energy and wind power, the aim being to reduce its fossil fuel energy consumption by 30% by 2030. Hence the support sought from India, the co-initiator country of the ASI.

The International Solar Alliance

The ASI is a joint initiative of France and India, launched in 2015 at COP 21, in an unprecedented effort in favour of solar energy. Its objective is to produce the rules of the game, norms and standards for solar energy, in order to achieve rapid and massive deployment in countries rich in solar radiation, but where the risks are still perceived as high. ASI is putting in place concrete tools, capacity building measures and innovative financial instruments.

One example is the harmonization of public policies, regulations and tariffs between countries. This has the effect of reducing uncertainties in projects, strengthening the economic viability of solar projects and reassuring investors.

The ASI plans to facilitate the installation of more than 1000 GWp of additional capacity by 2030, with estimated financing of 1000 billion dollars over the same period.

TunisianMonitorOnline

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