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Solar power in Morocco
Usage, distribution and potential of Solar Energy in Morocco

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. 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.

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. This is the first electric interconnection built between Africa and Europe.

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Renewable energy transformation

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 plants

Morocco Renewable Energy solar projects to be installed between now and 2030

NameOutput (MW)LocationTechnologyStatusNotes
Ain Beni Mathar205Ain Bni MatharParabolic troughcompleteAlso runs on fossil fuels (Gas)
Noor I160Drâa-TafilaletParabolic troughcompletePart of Ouarzazate Solar Power Station
Noor II200Drâa-TafilaletParabolic troughcompletePart of Ouarzazate Solar Power Station
Noor III150Drâa-Tafilaletsolar power towercompletePart of Ouarzazate Solar Power Station
Noor IV72Drâa-TafilaletPhotovoltaics with trackingcompletePart of Ouarzazate Solar Power Station

Ouarzazate solar plant

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.78

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.1314

Planned

NameOutputLocationTechnologyStatusNotes
Sebkhate Tah500MW
Foum Al-Oued500MW
Boujdour100 MWPlanned
Noor Midelt800 MW
Noor PV II800MWTaroudant, Kalâat Seraghna, Bejaâd, Guercif, El Hajeb
Noor-Tafilalet120 MWZagora, Erfoud and MissourPlanned
Noor Atlas800MWTata/Tahla/Tan Tan/Outat El Haj/Ain Beni Mathar/Boudnib/Bouanane/BoulemanePhotovoltaics
Noor Argana200 MWBoumalne/Tinghir/Errhamna/EssaouiraPhotovoltaics

See also

  • Morocco portal
  • Energy portal
  • Renewable energy portal
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References

  1. AfDB helps fund $1.44bn Moroccan solar project http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-16983-afdb-helps-fund-144bn-moroccan-solar-project/

  2. "Spain Electricity Security Policy – Analysis". IEA. Archived from the original on 2023-09-26. Retrieved 2024-02-24. https://www.iea.org/articles/spain-electricity-security-policy

  3. Farge, Emma. "Morocco to upgrade power link with Spain". U.S. Retrieved 2018-11-22. https://www.reuters.com/article/ozabs-morocco-spain-cable-idAFJOE5A80T420091109

  4. "Climate Resilience for Energy Transition in Morocco – Analysis". IEA. Retrieved 2024-02-07. https://www.iea.org/reports/climate-resilience-for-energy-transition-in-morocco

  5. Only solar output

  6. "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. http://phys.org/news/2013-05-morocco-solar-mega-project-ouarzazate.html

  7. 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

  8. Saudi’s ACWA Power Wins 1.7bn Euro Morocco Solar Power Deal, Reuters, January 10, 2015 http://gulfbusiness.com/2015/01/saudis-acwa-power-wins-1-7bn-euro-morocco-solar-power-deal/#.VLJ4byvF_8Z

  9. "World's largest concentrated solar plant switches on in the Sahara". cnn.com. Retrieved 25 April 2016. http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/08/africa/ouarzazate-morocco-solar-plant/

  10. Saudi-led consortium wins Morocco solar energy bid https://finance.yahoo.com/news/saudi-led-consortium-wins-morocco-solar-energy-bid-153652570--finance.html

  11. "Ouarzazate Solar Power Plant, Draa-Tafilalet, Morocco". Archived from the original on 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2024-02-25. https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/ouarzazate-solar-power-plant-draa-tafilalet/

  12. Jamie, Condliffe. "Morocco Switches On First Phase Of The World's Largest Solar Plant". GIZMODO. Retrieved 8 February 2016. https://gizmodo.com/morocco-switches-on-first-phase-of-the-worlds-largest-s-1757281810

  13. "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. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151119/sunny-days-in-moroccos-ouarzazate-basin

  14. "Noor IV lancée, parachevant la méga-centrale solaire de Ouarzazate". Le Desk. 2017-04-01. Retrieved 2019-03-24. https://ledesk.ma/2017/04/01/noor-iv-lance-parachevant-la-mega-centrale-solaire-de-ouarzazate/