ABO Wind installs 30 megawatts of wind power in Tunisia

The way is paved for the first ABO Wind project in Tunisia: The Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed has recently handed ABO Wind Department Head Nicolas König the permission to build a wind farm with a capacity of 30 megawatts. ABO Wind is concluding an electricity supply contract with the state-owned energy supplier STEG (Société tunisienne de l'électricité et du gaz), which provides a fixed remuneration over 20 years for the electricity fed into the grid. "Thanks to our good site selection, we were successful in the tender with our project," says Nicolas König.

In autumn of 2018, ABO Wind opened a planning office in Tunis. Experts from the headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany support the work of the local team. The company is currently developing half a dozen Tunisian wind and solar projects. ABO Wind expects to receive additional permits this year and to conclude electricity supply contracts.

"Tunisia offers us the best conditions to advance projects from planning to commissioning. We aim to develop a portfolio in the high double-digit megawatts range. Thus we achieve cost advantages and we also gain relevance for potential investors," says Dr Patrik Fischer, General Manager responsible for International Business Development at ABO Wind.

Tunisia wants to fix the country's energy deficit in a cost-effective and climate-friendly way by accelerating the expansion of renewable energies. By 2030, renewable energies are supposed to cover 30 percent of the country's electricity requirements. The current figure is three percent.

ABO Wind is currently planning the first Tunisian wind farm near the city of Mornag, 35 kilometers south-east of Tunis, with Siemens Gamesa SG145 turbines with a capacity of 4.2 and 4.5 megawatts. Since there are still a number of challenges to overcome - from wind measurement to financing - the project developer expects commissioning in 2021.