PUTTING MOROCCAN SUN TO WORK

Solar energy: Morocco's bright – and green – idea; Tapping sunlight for power may allow Morocco to spark economic development, cut its reliance on foreign energy sources, and safeguard the environment
Siham Ali, 2009 –11-06 (Magharebia)

"Morocco hopes to slash its dependence on foreign energy sources and protect the environment by rolling out a major solar power project.

"The $9 billion project targets creating capacity of 2,000 MW by 2020, and aims to reduce the kingdom's reliance on imports of electricity, oil and gas, which in 2007 accounted for 96% of Morocco's power…The "massive project" will combine economic and social development with environmental protection and efforts to tackle climate change…King Mohammed VI and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was in Morocco for the 6th Forum for the Future, attended the project's opening ceremony."

click to enlarge

"The solar initiative comes in the context of an overall Moroccan energy security plan, announced last year, to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources by cutting waste, increasing efficiency and boosting the use of sustainable energy…The targeted capacity of 2,000 MW by 2020 will equal…14% of the nation's total electric power…By that time, solar power could meet 10% of Morocco's demand for electricity. The overall project will be implemented at five sites with a combined surface area of 10,000 hectares.

"The first of the sub-projects is Morocco's first photovoltaic power plant, which was built in Tit Mellil in 2007. It has a capacity of around 50 KW…In 2008, work began on the second sub-project, a solar and thermal plant in Ain Beni Mathar. This combined cycle plant, which will have a capacity of 472 MW, including 20 MW from solar energy, is still under construction…A third sub-project consists of solar water heating panels, 200,000 square meters of which were installed in 2007. The target for 2012 is to raise the total to 400,000 square meters."

One of the Moroccan projects is a pioneering natural gas-solar hybrid plant. (click to enlarge)

"To ensure that these goals are achieved, the project will involve the introduction of solar energy programmes at colleges of engineering and universities, as well as training for technicians…[T]he project will be financed by domestic and foreign funds from both public and private sources, and implemented through public-private partnerships…

"Moroccan officials say their country has a number of advantages…including 5 kWh per square metre per day of solar radiation and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year…[which will make for] a more environmentally-friendly Morocco…"