Interview of representatives of Pure Energy Centre by Press Officer
of British Embassy Tunis

The World Bank and the African Development Bank jointly organised in Tunis on 21 and 22 October a regional investment workshop on their concentrated solar power scale-up programme for the MENA region.

The organisers invited Pure Energy Centre, a UK-based SME specialising in solar energy technologies, to take part in their two day gathering. Dr Daniel Aklil, Managing Director of Pure Energy Centre in the UK, and Elyes Ounis, Consultant for the company and based in Tunis, met the Press Officer of the British Embassy Tunis in the margins of the event.

Press Officer

Dr Aklil, thank you for sparing some of your time in the margins of this important workshop to tell us a few things about Pure Energy Centre in the region. Why Tunisia?

Dr Aklil

Pure Energy Centre is a British company. We are looking for new business opportunities in the MENA region in general, with particular focus on the thriving and fast developing Tunisian market.

Press Officer

What to you do?

Dr Aklil

We are an SME that specialises in renewable energy with strong solar expertise.

Press Officer

Dr Aklil, is this your first visit to Tunisia?

Dr Aklil

We have been here several times already over the past few months. We first took part mid- June in a UK trade mission to the African Development Bank. What we found out during our visit was that Tunisia offers a unique platform for the development of renewable energy with a huge potential for new solar technologies. My colleague Elyes Ounis and I took an active part in the Carthage Investment Forum and met a number of interesting people. We came again in July to attend the annual Atuge Forum. On this particular occasion we have been invited by the African Development Bank as private sector representatives to take part in their joint workshop with the World Bank.

Press Officer

So, can you tell us about yourselves?

Dr Aklil

My name is Daniel Aklil. I am the Managing Director of Pure Energy Centre, a company based in Scotland. I am an electronic and electrical engineer with a PHD in power systems and computing. In the UK, I have worked for both the public and private sectors before setting up Pure Energy Centre. My Tunisian colleague, Elyes Ounis is back from the Gulf to lead the Pure Energy Centre Initiative in green technologies in Tunisia and the region with particular interest for solar power.

Press Officer

Do you think there is a potential for solar projects in Tunisia?

Dr Aklil

During August, we visited the South of Tunisia. We stopped at Nefta where we were invited as solar experts to give a talk to the local community and authorities. This was within the framework of what is now known as the “Village Solaire de Nefta” initiative.

Press Officer

What is your vision on solar in Tunisia?

Dr Aklil

After our various visits all over the country, we realised that there is both a demand and a political will to develop solar power technologies. We had good meetings with a number of people including representatives of the Tunisian energy efficiency and renewable energy board ANME. We heard the good news that they will launch the Plan Solaire Tunisien on 11 December in Tunis. We are very much interested to learn more about the initiative. So we will be here!

Having said so, our vision is simple and in 3 stages. We are in the process of setting up our Tunisian company. We are keen to employ Tunisian graduates and train them in our technologies. We are busy identifying a number of projects to develop.

In doing so, we have received support from Scottish Development International (SDI) and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) in both the UK and Tunisia. The Tunis UKTI Team in the British Embassy Tunis in particular gave us strong support and introduced us to key stakeholders and decision makers. The package of OMIS (Overseas Market Introduction Service) services we commissioned from the Tunis UKTI Team provided us with the right information and exposure to start doing business in Tunisia. We recently bid for a couple of UNDP projects and are working on an offer for a new solar project in partnership with a leading Tunisian engineering partner.

Press Officer

Thank you Dr Aklil and Mr Ounis for this very interesting discussion. We wish you good luck and look forward to hearing about your successful projects in Tunisia.