Solar power in Morocco is enabled by the country having one of the highest rates of solar insolation among other countries— about 3,000 hours per year of sunshine but up to 3,600 hours in the desert. Morocco has launched one of the world’s largest solar energy projects costing an estimated $9 billion. The aim of the project was to create 2,000 megawatts of solar generation capacity by 2020.[1] The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN), a public-private venture, was established to lead the project. The first plant, Ouarzazate Solar Power Station, was commissioned in 2016.
Solar powered well in Rhamna, near MarrakechSolar resources in Morocco
Morocco has a power cable link to Europe, the Spain-Morocco interconnection, rated at 900 MW when going from Spain to Morocco and 600 MW when going from Morocco to Spain.[2] This is the first electric interconnection built between Africa and Europe.[3]
An International Energy Agency (IEA) report from July 2023 highlights that in 2020, imported fossil fuels—coal, oil, and gas—accounted for over 80% of Morocco's electricity generation. It outlines that Morocco has developed a plan to transform its energy sector by 2030, aiming to increase the renewable energy share to 52%, with specific targets of 20% for solar power, 20% for wind energy, and 12% for hydroelectric power. This approach seeks to enhance energy security and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. Additionally, under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), Morocco plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 18.3% below its baseline levels by 2030, a reduction that could reach 45.5% with international support. To address the solar power's variability and boost energy system resilience, Morocco has also invested in pumped storage hydropower.[4]
Largest solar power plantsedit
Morocco Renewable Energy solar projects to be installed between now and 2030
The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy invited expressions of interest in the design, construction, operation, maintenance and financing of the first of the five planned solar power stations, the 500 MW complex in the southern town of Ouarzazate, that includes both PV and CSP. Construction officially began on 10 May 2013.[6] The project is divided in 3 phases: a 160MW concentrated solar power project, a 200MW parabolic mirror plant, and a 150MW solar trough plant.[7][8]
The 160 MW first phase, Noor I, was brought online in February 2016.[9] The project was awarded to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power, which sells the electricity produced for $0.19/kW·h, and co-financed by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank.[10] The second phase, the 200 MW Noor 2 plant, came online in January 2018, and the third phase came online in December 2018.[11] These two phases provide another 580 MW and cover 6,000 acres.[12]
A fourth phase of the project, Noor IV, was also completed in 2018, is a 72 MW photovoltaic station.[13][14]
Plannededit
Name
Output
Location
Technology
Status
Notes
Sebkhate Tah
500MW
Foum Al-Oued
500MW
Boujdour
100 MW
Planned
Noor Midelt
800 MW
Noor PV II
800MW
Taroudant, Kalâat Seraghna, Bejaâd, Guercif, El Hajeb
Noor-Tafilalet
120 MW
Zagora, Erfoud and Missour
Planned
Noor Atlas
800MW
Tata/Tahla/Tan Tan/Outat El Haj/Ain Beni Mathar/Boudnib/Bouanane/Boulemane
^"Morocco launches solar mega-project at Ouarzazate". phys.org. AFP. 10 May 2013. from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^Construction begins on 160 MW CSP plant in Morocco, pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/construction-begins-on-160-mw-csp-plant-in-morocco-_100011255/#axzz3OWLu4WTY
^Saudi’s ACWA Power Wins 1.7bn Euro Morocco Solar Power Deal, Reuters, January 10, 2015
^"World's largest concentrated solar plant switches on in the Sahara". cnn.com. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
^Saudi-led consortium wins Morocco solar energy bid
^"Ouarzazate Solar Power Plant, Draa-Tafilalet, Morocco". from the original on 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^Jamie, Condliffe. "Morocco Switches On First Phase Of The World's Largest Solar Plant". GIZMODO. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
^"Sunny Days in Morocco's Ouarzazate Basin". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. 2023-03-23. from the original on 2023-12-06. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^"Noor IV lancée, parachevant la méga-centrale solaire de Ouarzazate". Le Desk. 2017-04-01. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Solar power in Morocco.
Eurosunmed - Agency for European - Moroccan Cooperation on Solar Energy
March 16, 2024
solar, power, morocco, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, updated, please, help, update, this, article, reflect, recent, events, newl. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information March 2021 This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Solar power in Morocco news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Solar power in Morocco is enabled by the country having one of the highest rates of solar insolation among other countries about 3 000 hours per year of sunshine but up to 3 600 hours in the desert Morocco has launched one of the world s largest solar energy projects costing an estimated 9 billion The aim of the project was to create 2 000 megawatts of solar generation capacity by 2020 1 The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy MASEN a public private venture was established to lead the project The first plant Ouarzazate Solar Power Station was commissioned in 2016 Solar powered well in Rhamna near MarrakechSolar resources in MoroccoMorocco has a power cable link to Europe the Spain Morocco interconnection rated at 900 MW when going from Spain to Morocco and 600 MW when going from Morocco to Spain 2 This is the first electric interconnection built between Africa and Europe 3 Contents 1 Renewable energy transformation 2 Largest solar power plants 2 1 Ouarzazate solar plant 2 2 Planned 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksRenewable energy transformation editAn International Energy Agency IEA report from July 2023 highlights that in 2020 imported fossil fuels coal oil and gas accounted for over 80 of Morocco s electricity generation It outlines that Morocco has developed a plan to transform its energy sector by 2030 aiming to increase the renewable energy share to 52 with specific targets of 20 for solar power 20 for wind energy and 12 for hydroelectric power This approach seeks to enhance energy security and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels Additionally under its Nationally Determined Contributions NDC Morocco plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 18 3 below its baseline levels by 2030 a reduction that could reach 45 5 with international support To address the solar power s variability and boost energy system resilience Morocco has also invested in pumped storage hydropower 4 Largest solar power plants editMorocco Renewable Energy solar projects to be installed between now and 2030 Name Output MW Location Technology Status NotesAin Beni Mathar 20 5 Ain Bni Mathar Parabolic trough complete Also runs on fossil fuels Gas Noor I 160 Draa Tafilalet Parabolic trough complete Part of Ouarzazate Solar Power StationNoor II 200 Draa Tafilalet Parabolic trough complete Part of Ouarzazate Solar Power StationNoor III 150 Draa Tafilalet solar power tower complete Part of Ouarzazate Solar Power StationNoor IV 72 Draa Tafilalet Photovoltaics with tracking complete Part of Ouarzazate Solar Power StationOuarzazate solar plant edit Main article Ouarzazate solar power station The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy invited expressions of interest in the design construction operation maintenance and financing of the first of the five planned solar power stations the 500 MW complex in the southern town of Ouarzazate that includes both PV and CSP Construction officially began on 10 May 2013 6 The project is divided in 3 phases a 160MW concentrated solar power project a 200MW parabolic mirror plant and a 150MW solar trough plant 7 8 The 160 MW first phase Noor I was brought online in February 2016 9 The project was awarded to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia s ACWA Power which sells the electricity produced for 0 19 kW h and co financed by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank 10 The second phase the 200 MW Noor 2 plant came online in January 2018 and the third phase came online in December 2018 11 These two phases provide another 580 MW and cover 6 000 acres 12 A fourth phase of the project Noor IV was also completed in 2018 is a 72 MW photovoltaic station 13 14 Planned edit Name Output Location Technology Status NotesSebkhate Tah 500MWFoum Al Oued 500MWBoujdour 100 MW PlannedNoor Midelt 800 MWNoor PV II 800MW Taroudant Kalaat Seraghna Bejaad Guercif El HajebNoor Tafilalet 120 MW Zagora Erfoud and Missour PlannedNoor Atlas 800MW Tata Tahla Tan Tan Outat El Haj Ain Beni Mathar Boudnib Bouanane Boulemane PhotovoltaicsNoor Argana 200 MW Boumalne Tinghir Errhamna Essaouira PhotovoltaicsSee also edit nbsp Morocco portal nbsp Energy portal nbsp Renewable energy portalEnergy policy of Morocco Renewable energy in Morocco Wind power in Morocco Renewable energy by country Xlinks Morocco UK Power ProjectReferences edit AfDB helps fund 1 44bn Moroccan solar project Spain Electricity Security Policy Analysis IEA Archived from the original on 2023 09 26 Retrieved 2024 02 24 Farge Emma Morocco to upgrade power link with Spain U S Retrieved 2018 11 22 Climate Resilience for Energy Transition in Morocco Analysis IEA Retrieved 2024 02 07 Only solar output Morocco launches solar mega project at Ouarzazate phys org AFP 10 May 2013 Archived from the original on 9 August 2014 Retrieved 1 August 2014 Construction begins on 160 MW CSP plant in Morocco pv magazine com news details beitrag construction begins on 160 mw csp plant in morocco 100011255 axzz3OWLu4WTY Saudi s ACWA Power Wins 1 7bn Euro Morocco Solar Power Deal Reuters January 10 2015 World s largest concentrated solar plant switches on in the Sahara cnn com Retrieved 25 April 2016 Saudi led consortium wins Morocco solar energy bid Ouarzazate Solar Power Plant Draa Tafilalet Morocco Archived from the original on 2023 05 10 Retrieved 2024 02 25 Jamie Condliffe Morocco Switches On First Phase Of The World s Largest Solar Plant GIZMODO Retrieved 8 February 2016 Sunny Days in Morocco s Ouarzazate Basin earthobservatory nasa gov 2023 03 23 Archived from the original on 2023 12 06 Retrieved 2024 02 25 Noor IV lancee parachevant la mega centrale solaire de Ouarzazate Le Desk 2017 04 01 Retrieved 2019 03 24 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Solar power in Morocco Eurosunmed Agency for European Moroccan Cooperation on Solar Energy Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Solar power in Morocco amp oldid 1210246142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
