Tunis — On the sidelines of the International Conference on Tunisia's Solar Plan (TSP) held from October 29 to 30, 2010 in Tunis, a memorandum of understanding was signed between STEG Renewable Energies (STEG ER) and DESERTEC Industrial Initiative (DII)

It provides, as a first step, for a pre-feasibility study of a pilot project whose power can reach 500MW as follows: 250MW solar, 125MW photovoltaic and 125 MW wind meant to supply the needs of Tunisia but also and especially for export to Europe.

The memorandum also provides for the transfer of technologies and the exchange of know-how between the experts of the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean.

Tunisia is a key country in the DESERTEC initiative in view of its numerous assets and notably its political stability, the high skills of its human resources and its proximity of the European continent.

"STEG ER" has been a shareholder in DII since last October and DII is an international initiative launched last July 2009 to establish a framework propitious for the large-scale production of renewable energies from solar and wind resources.

The long-term objective is to meet a large part of the energy needs in the MENA region (North Africa-Middle East) and supply up to 15% of European power needs within the year 2050.