The project for photovoltaic car production and improving energy efficiency is ongoing until January 2025 – A shift towards renewable energies is also clearly visible on the funding landscape
Leipzig/Frankfurt/Tunisia, 24/08/2023 – On behalf of the Tunisian National Agency for Energy Management (ANME), numerous public buildings within the country will be fitted with photovoltaic systems and their energy efficiency improved from 2021-2025. Credit has been granted by the KfW Development Bank for this work. The German energy specialist, decon international, a subsidiary of the Tilia Group, was entrusted with the role of Technical Assistance Consultant for the ANME. In collaboration with national partners on site, the large-scale project was developed from the ground up which involves coordinating the political, legal and environmental framework, compiling preparatory studies, establishing contact with local PV experts and institutions and creating tender documents for the individual project components.
The project is now in its implementation phase: the first international tender for the installation of 219 PV systems in participating public buildings has been carried out. decon international is also supporting ANME with construction supervision and additional processes such as loan draw-downs, compliance with environmental guidelines, installation and operation of monitoring systems, etc.
Managing Director
decon international
Dr. Ingo Töws
“It’s been a long journey to get here,” explains Dr Ingo Töws, Managing Director of decon international. “Although the interest from public institutions was very high at the beginning, the institutional and administrative structures and processes are complex and sluggish. The new project design demanded a longer learning process with respect to the customer, participating institutions and authorities.”
Töws looks back at five decades of experience in international development activities with decon international. The engineering and consultancy company, founded in 1972 and part of Tilia GmbH since 2016, has successfully carried out infrastructure projects in areas such as energy, water and Smart City in over 140 countries. The majority of clients are local governing authorities or public sector bodies with tenders mostly being funded by development banks such as the World Bank or KfW.
Töws has noticed a shift on the international funding landscape: “One of our core activities involves construction projects for traditional forms of power supply, setting up power lines and networks in countries such as Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique. We are seeing an increase in orders for renewable energy and a decentralised supply, such as in Tunisia. An ideological shift is taking place which we, as a future-oriented business for matters regarding sustainability and climate protection, fully welcome.
Another example includes a feasibility study for a hybrid solar wind farm in Azerbaijan with an estimated capacity of up to 120 Megawatts. In addition to the technical aspects, decon international was also responsible for conducting an environmental study and trained the personnel on site. “Solar, wind and water energy are the future,” Töws adds. “We hope that this positive development will continue on the international funding landscape.”
About decon international GmbH
decon international is an engineering firm that specialises in energy and water infrastructure. Its customers include government authorities, public utility companies, regulatory bodies, investors and development agencies. decon international has implemented more than 1,500 projects in over 140 countries. The company employs around 100 staff that consists of highly qualified experts, full-time employees and freelancers in various fields. The company is based in Frankfurt am Main and has additional branch offices worldwide.
decon international was founded in Frankfurt in 1972, was acquired by Tilia GmbH in 2016 and has been part of the globally active Tilia Group since 2022, which employs over 170 staff and has already completed over 1,000 projects in more than 20 countries. Its common vision is to effectively support greater sustainability.
Tilia Group media contact
Kristin Preßler, Senior Manager Transformation
E-Mail: kristin.pressler(at)tilia.info
