Projects involving renewable power generation were an expensive investment decision. It was often typically subsidized by governments of industrialized countries signaling their green credentials. Today, producing electricity out of clean energy is becoming a strategic asset for everyone, including developing countries. The global industry is developing at breakneck speed and the cost of technology is also dropping rapidly. This trend is exemplified by the situation in Tunisia. TuNur, Tunis-based renewable energy, transmission, and green hydrogen developer, is working to develop a new solar energy project in the southwest of the country. When complete, the project will generate 4.5 GW of electricity, which will be fed into the European grid via three submarine cables connecting Tunisia with Italy, France, and Malta. The generated electricity could power two million European homes.
The TuNur solar complex will cover around 180 square kilometers. Hundreds of thousands of parabolic mirrors, solar photovoltaics and solar cells will be arranged to direct the intense Saharan sun at CSP (concentrated solar power) towers reaching heights of up to 200 meters. Heat will be stored in molten salts that run through these towers, heating steam that turns turbines. The salts can retain heat for hours, allowing power to be generated long after the sun disappears each day. The initial stage of the project will see a 250MW CSP tower constructed, along with the transmission cable to Malta. This will cost an estimated 85 million euros, with a further 1.6 billion euros for the cable.