Morocco: 14% of energy production will come from solar power by 2020.
13 September 2012
Read by 1431 persons
By 2020, 14% of energy production will come from solar power. This is what Morocco plans in its solar plan, which aims to build four solar farms. The financing of this project is huge, but the government is "very confident".
On Tuesday, September 11, the 18th edition of the International Conference on Solar Energy [SolarPaces 2012: Solar Power and Chemical Energy System] opened in Marrakech, under the aegis of the International Energy Agency [IEA]. Morocco took the opportunity to reaffirm its ambitions regarding the national solar plan. "Our goal is that by 2020, 42% of our energy production will come from renewable energies, including 14% from solar power," noted a speech by the Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, Fouad Diouri, read at this conference by Mohammed Zniber, secretary general of the Department of Energy and Mines, Water and Environment, reports AFP.
This objective should be achieved through the construction of 5 solar farms as planned by the solar energy production project presented in 2009 by the then Minister of Energy. The implementation of this project requires an investment of approximately 9 billion dollars, or more than 77 billion dirhams.
"Certain" Financing
9 billion dirhams. A huge sum, especially with the prevailing unstable economic situation, but this does not prevent Morocco from displaying its optimism. "We are certain that a large number of investors will be interested and that we will therefore find the financing for these projects. We are very confident," affirmed Mr. Diouri in his speech.
Rightly so? In any case, the director general of the Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies [IRESEN], Badr Ikken, did not fail to emphasize that "Morocco has been a pioneer in the field of renewable energies through its dam policy," reports Le Matin. "Morocco aims to strengthen local expertise and support innovation," he said, adding that the development of this sector will promote the creation of high value-added jobs.
Currently, there is only one hybrid solar complex - both solar and gas-powered - in Ain Beni Mathar in the northeast of the country. Construction work on the very first exclusively solar farm in Ouarzazate has already begun. It will be the largest thermo-solar installation in the world, with a capacity of 500 MW. The Moroccan solar project, as a whole, aims for a production of 2000 MW.
Yabiladi.com
Published September 12, 2012.
Posted online September 13, 2012.
On Tuesday, September 11, the 18th edition of the International Conference on Solar Energy [SolarPaces 2012: Solar Power and Chemical Energy System] opened in Marrakech, under the aegis of the International Energy Agency [IEA]. Morocco took the opportunity to reaffirm its ambitions regarding the national solar plan. "Our goal is that by 2020, 42% of our energy production will come from renewable energies, including 14% from solar power," noted a speech by the Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, Fouad Diouri, read at this conference by Mohammed Zniber, secretary general of the Department of Energy and Mines, Water and Environment, reports AFP.
This objective should be achieved through the construction of 5 solar farms as planned by the solar energy production project presented in 2009 by the then Minister of Energy. The implementation of this project requires an investment of approximately 9 billion dollars, or more than 77 billion dirhams.
"Certain" Financing
9 billion dirhams. A huge sum, especially with the prevailing unstable economic situation, but this does not prevent Morocco from displaying its optimism. "We are certain that a large number of investors will be interested and that we will therefore find the financing for these projects. We are very confident," affirmed Mr. Diouri in his speech.
Rightly so? In any case, the director general of the Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies [IRESEN], Badr Ikken, did not fail to emphasize that "Morocco has been a pioneer in the field of renewable energies through its dam policy," reports Le Matin. "Morocco aims to strengthen local expertise and support innovation," he said, adding that the development of this sector will promote the creation of high value-added jobs.
Currently, there is only one hybrid solar complex - both solar and gas-powered - in Ain Beni Mathar in the northeast of the country. Construction work on the very first exclusively solar farm in Ouarzazate has already begun. It will be the largest thermo-solar installation in the world, with a capacity of 500 MW. The Moroccan solar project, as a whole, aims for a production of 2000 MW.
Yabiladi.com
Published September 12, 2012.
Posted online September 13, 2012.
