Tunisia Energy

In 2006 large reserves of natural gas and condensate were discovered in the Jenein Sud permit in the Ghadames basin. Since then, the Tunisian National Oil Company (Entreprise Tunisienne d’Activités Pétrolières, ETAP) and Austrian oil and gas company OMV have worked to industrialise the field as part of the Nawara Development Project by...

While Tunisia has far fewer oil and gas reserves than its neighbours in the region, it was not until the late 1990s and early 2000s that the country’s demand began surpassing domestic production. It was then that Tunisia became dependent on foreign energy imports, and began diversifying its energy mix through renewables and energy efficiency...

Tunisia’s energy balance shifted from surplus to deficit in 2000, and the country has since remained a net importer of energy. With domestic production falling and demand rising, Tunisia is looking to diversify its energy mix through renewables, higher imports and by promoting energy efficiency through a gradual scaling back of subsidies....

Renewable energies, especially solar, have significant potential in Tunisia. The country boasts annual irradiation rates of approximately 1800 to 2600 KWh per square metre, over 20% more than the most irradiated sites in Europe. Today, around 97% of electricity is still generated through fossil fuels. Renewable energy, most of which is...

Days before Tunisia’s first democratically representative constitution was ratified on January 26 2014, Article 13 was overwhelmingly adopted by the National People’s Assembly 182 votes to 1. The article aims to ensure transparency in the energy sector, particularly for extractive industries. “Natural resources belong to the people of Tunisia...