In 2020, Kraftwerk and the Tunisian solar energy expert Ali Kanzari and his company Solar Energy Systems (SES) formed a strategic partnership. By pooling their international as well as local know-how and experience, they strive to jointly develop and implement PV power plants for self-consumption in the industrial and commercial sector in Tunisia. The partnership aims at cost-efficient and reliable PV systems customized to the electricity needs of the consumers and to the Tunisian regulations.
In summer/ autumn 2021, Kraftwerk and SES started designing and implementing their first joint project for CPL Souani in Tebourba, 30 km from the capital Tunis. CPL Souani is a family-owned and -managed cheese dairy renowned for its high-quality European cheese variety for the Tunisian market.
Reduce yearly grid power consumption by 30%
The 85 kWp PV system is mounted on the roof of CPL Souanis’s production facility and will be connected to the medium-voltage grid. It should cover up to 60% of CPL SouaniI’s electricity needs during sunshine hours and reduce its grid-power consumption by 30% per year. Solar surpluses will be injected into the grid. Besides being a financially profitable investment, the PV system will reduce CPL Souani’s CO2 emissions by around 70 tons per year. The installation is financed by a loan from UIB, partner bank of the program SUNREF Tunisia, and shall receive an investment subsidy from Agence Nationale pour La Maitrise de l’Énergie (ANME).
Commissioning and grid-connection of the PV power plant as well as an inauguration ceremony are planned for December 2021.
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Walid Gahbiche, Managing Director of CPL Souani, states: “Two of our core values at CPL Souani are environmental and financial sustainability. That’s why we are aiming to become more independent from fossil energy and to substantially decrease our carbon footprint. The PV power plant concept presented by Kraftwerk and SES has encouraged us to take a huge step forward and to invest in our own solar power generation.”
Connected to the medium voltage grid
“We are delighted about our partnership with SES and about implementing our first reference PV installation in Tunisia which we hope will enable sustainable business for all project partners,” said Roman Brinzanik, Director New Markets at Kraftwerk. “We are especially proud to contribute to Tunisia’s ambitious transition to renewable energies and to the success and core values of CPL Souani by decarbonizing its power supply.”
Ali Kanzari, CEO of SES, adds: “In view of the abundant solar irradiation and good framework conditions in Tunisia, the prospects of decentralized solar PV power plants are very promising. So far, only a few PV installations have been connected to the medium-voltage grid and we expect that market segment to take off in the forthcoming years. Our partnership with Kraftwerk and our first joint reference installation happened just at the right time.”
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The PV power plant for CPL Souani was selected as a showcase installation. This project is part of the worldwide dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme coordinated by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) – the German Energy Agency – and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) within the German Energy Solutions Initiative.
Technical Project Information:
Location: CPL Souani, Tebourba, Governate Manouba, Tunisia
PV power: 85 kWp
Plant type: Grid-connected (medium voltage)
Business model: Self-consumption
Solar output: ~ 130,000 kWh p.a.
CO2 savings: ~ 70 tons p.a.
Modules: JinkoSolar JKM520M-7TL4-V
Inverter: REFUsol 100K
Mounting structure: K2 Systems TiltUp Vento
Completion: November 2021 (hcn)
