Morocco is planning to use the latest solar energy technology to build a large solar energy project. Estimated at a cost of $9 billion, the project is expected to produce 38% of the country’s power by the year 2020.
Moroccan officials stress that the country possesses a number of clear advantages that should ensure that the project's ambitious goals are achieved, including 5 kWh per square metre per day of solar radiation and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year.
The benefits of tapping sunlight for power are multiple: not only will turning to this “green” form of energy enable the country to reduce its dependence on foreign supplies of energy for its essential needs, but it will also assist in preserving the environment and help foster economic development and diversification.
The project consists of five power generation sites to produce 2000 MW of electricity, with a combined surface area of 10,000 hectares, in Ouarzazate, Ain Bni Mathar, Foum Al Oued, Boujdour and Sebkhat Tah.
"This is a bold but realistic project. We will guarantee all the technical and financial resources to make it succeed," the country’s Energy Minister Amina Benkhadra said when the project was officially launched at a high-level ceremony in Morocco last November.
The minister stressed that foreign energy operators would be involved in the project.
"We look for the most sophisticated technology available in the world to use for this project."
The first station is expected to become operational by 2015. For the project, Morocco is mobilising multiple financing sources and partners, from private and public sectors, as well as from the international community.
Ali Fassi Fihri, the Chairman of ONE, Morocco's power utility, said the project would make the country a pioneer in renewable energy generation. "The project would add in terms of power generation the equivalent of the current electricity consumption of the country's commercial capital Casablanca," Fihri added.
“This project will help Morocco reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 3.7 million tonnes of CO2. This will help us play our role in mitigation of climate change," stressed Said Mouline, the director of Morocco’s Centre for Renewable Energy Development.
"Clean energy projects such as this will create many new jobs in the areas selected for the solar plants as well as boost the country's scientific expertise in the field of solar energy," Mouline added.
Morocco is the only North African country with no oil production of its own and eager to develop renewable energy sources to cut its oil and gas imports.
Among potential partners, Morocco has already secured agreement with the World Bank, the European Commission, and Germany. During a visit to Berlin in January, the Chief Executive of the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy Mustapha Bakkoury held talks with officials from Germany’s development bank KfW about investing in the pioneering project.
At the same time, European firms, both private and public, are considering hundreds of billions worth of solar energy projects in North Africa, including Morocco - with a transmission network linked to Europe under the Mediterranean - to supply electricity to Europe, as part of the EU commitment to reduce GHG.
The Desertec Initiative, a coalition of 13 energy and technology companies, has held talks with Morocco over the possibility of constructing Desertec’s first renewable energy project in the country.
The Desertec Initiative was launched in 2009 with the intention of bringing together firms with experience in power generation, to build a series of concentrated solar power (CSP), photovoltaic (PV) and wind projects in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Morocco is joined by many other Arab countries, for example Algeria, Qatar, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, in launching ambitious solar energy generation plans. Several countries have shown great interest in similar projects or have announced their intention to build solar plants soon.
Furthermore, many countries in the region, such as Jordan, Syria and Tunisia, are encouraging domestic solar heating systems, providing loans and incentives. Some Arab countries are also now investing in the manufacture of solar panels.
Morocco already has several renewable energy projects in operation. For example, a windmill farm near the northern city of Tangiers produces 140MW of electricity and another near Tarfaya on the southwestern coast of the country is scheduled begin working in 2011 to produce 300MW.
Solar panels are also now bringing electricity to some of the country’s more remote rural areas where many traditionally built houses have never had access to electricity before. This is largely because they are located too far away from utility poles of the National Electricity Company in Morocco. It was previously seen as unprofitable to connect the remote areas to the power network. However, the electricity company has started to install solar panels in these country homes.
Adopting solar energy and investing in attempts to develop other renewable options brings with it additional benefits in that it helps enhance a country’s image as environmentally friendly.
As Morocco’s Finance Minister Salaheddine Mezouar has said, "The project sends a very clear message in the current situation, which is dominated by the need to face up to the challenges of climate change." The minister added that "Morocco is determined to protect the environment in all its future projects."
Global Arab Network
Sources: MEED, Magharebia, Sustainable Energy bulletin
The report will appear in the latest issue of Arab-British Business, the fortnightly bulletin of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce.
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