Japan has announced the financing of a 130 MW photovoltaic project in the governorate of Gabès, in southeastern Tunisia.
According to a statement released by the Embassy of Japan in Tunisia, the financial support granted to this project could reach 2 billion yen, or approximately 11 million euros or 37 million dinars.
This funding falls under the Carbon Credit Exchange Mechanism (MCC), a system established by the Japanese government to encourage the development of projects that contribute to reducing greenhouse gases and combating climate change.
Gabès was selected in February 2026 to benefit from this grant, alongside other regions that have already seen similar initiatives materialize.
The project will be implemented by Marubeni Corporation, a major Japanese industrial group specialized in renewable energies, in partnership with the French company Voltalia, whose technical expertise will strengthen the impact and sustainability of the facility.
This new project constitutes the fourth project financed under the Carbon Credit Exchange Mechanism (MCC) after two photovoltaic power plants already launched in Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur.
The photovoltaic installations in Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur, financed by international partners such as Norway and Japan, have a capacity of 50 to 100 MW each, and are part of the efforts made to diversify the Tunisian energy mix.
These initiatives are part of the broader national program for the development of renewable energies, which aims to significantly increase the share of clean energy in total electricity production.
In fact, despite exceptional solar potential, Tunisia still derives a relatively small share of its energy needs from renewable sources. Before the commissioning of these projects, the share of solar and wind energy in the Tunisian electricity mix remained capped at around 5% of total production, a level considered insufficient given climate goals and the growing demand for electricity.
The country’s official objective, as part of its energy strategy for 2030, is to increase this share to 35%, by multiplying solar and wind projects across the entire territory. This transformation should not only reduce costs related to the import of gas and petroleum products, but also mitigate the vulnerability of the Tunisian economy to the instabilities of global fossil fuel markets.
