Tunisia Advances in the Green Fuel Race
Tunisia is making progress on two fronts to secure a place in the green fuel market: on one hand, university research is paving the way technically, and on the other, major international groups are already investing heavily.
E-Kerosene: A Competitive Advantage
Professor Mohamed Sadok Guellouz, an energy engineering researcher, emphasizes the need for three priority projects: developing green fuels, modernizing the electrical grid, and bridging the gap between laboratories and industries. According to a recent study, Tunisia could produce e-kerosene at a cost 25% lower than in Europe and 20% lower than in the United States by 2050. This price advantage could make the country's ports and airports attractive stops for the aviation and maritime industries seeking to reduce their carbon footprint.
Another project mentioned is the exploration of a reservoir dam at Oued El Meleh, in the Jendouba governorate, with a capacity of 400 to 600 MW to store renewable energy over long periods.
Three Mega-Projects Focused on Export
On the ground, the Attaqa platform has identified three large-scale initiatives:
- A Saudi group has committed to an annual capacity of 600,000 tons of green hydrogen, almost entirely dedicated to export.
- Another major project is a partnership between TotalEnergies and the Austrian company Verbund, which is expected to start in 2030 with an annual production of 200,000 tons of green hydrogen, aiming to reach 1 million tons; the cost is estimated to be between €8 billion for the launch and up to €40 billion at full capacity.
- The third project involves green ammonia, with a unit planned in the Gabès industrial zone.
Ultimately, Tunisia aims to export 6.3 million tons of green hydrogen per year to the EU by 2050, via a corridor passing through Italy.
An Accessible Market for Investors
Between applied research and international mega-contracts, the hydrogen sector offers a still largely accessible market: electrolysis, storage, port infrastructure, or industrial subcontracting are all niches where Tunisian actors, both public and private, could position themselves before the market becomes saturated.
