SOFEM UN-DESA

The SOFEM project is year 2016´s UN-DESA Award winner for green leadership. The project is coordinated by the leading Norwegian Research Institute SINTEF and aimed at developing an innovative solar-power mobility solution for Tunisia and the MENA Region. ECWT´s role in the project is to safeguard the gender dimension of sustainable mobility solutions developed for the region.

The components of the project:

• Technical feasibility studies, design of the installation and implementation of the pilot,
• Organization of workshops for Tunisian decision-makers in the urban, transport, and energy sectors,
• Detailed social, economic, and financial studies to assess the feasibility and replication of this mode of transport in the region,
• Awareness raising of Tunisian stakeholders and the public on the costs and benefits of public transport solutions based on renewable energy,
• Safeguarding the gender dimension is ensured through the involvement of the European Centre for Women and Technology – ECWT.

Project Details:

The Tunisian-Norwegian project Solar Fuelled Electric Mobility – SoFEM led by the leading Norwegian laboratory SINTEF won in December 2016 the best project award of the UN-DESA ENERGY GRANT “POWERING THE FUTURE WE WANT”.

SOFEM aims to promote solar-powered maritime electric mobility in the MENA region and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport by converting the diesel engine of a boat or of a photovoltaic solar-powered electric motorized tank for demonstration purposes.

Duration: 2016 – 2019 – 2022