Morocco sets August deadline for PV solar bids
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The Noor 2 PV projects will be developed at six sites, with the commercial and industrial companies buying power from the PV plants directly from the developer
The Moroccon Agency for Sustainable Energy (Masen) has set a deadline of 2 August for proposals for the 400MW Noor 2 photovoltaic (PV) solar project.
Energy & Utilities reported in March that the client had finalised the prequalification process and issued request for proposals (RFP) for the Noor 2 PV project, which will include the development of PV solar plants at six different locations.
The Noor 2 PV projects will be developed for private commercial entities, with the commercial and industrial companies buying power from the PV plants directly from the developer.
According to sources close to the programme, Morocco’s ONEE has the right to buy some residual power at a low price.
The projects planned under the Noor 2 PV programme are:
- Ain Beni Mathar, 184MW
- Sidi Bennour, 48MW
- Kelaa Shragna, 48MW
- Bejaad, 48MW
- Taroudant, 36MW
- El-Hajeb, 36MW
The proposed structure for the Noor 2 PV IPP, first devised under the 13.09 Renewable Energy Law, has previously been adopted for the 120MW Khalladi wind IPP in Morocco. For the Khalladi project, being developed by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power, about 80 per cent of the wind farm’s output will be sold under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) to Holcim Morocco, Asment and Cimat.
Morocco has emerged as one of the leading proponents of renewable energy in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), having successfully launched and developed some of the largest solar schemes in the region.
The North African state’s progress with developing clean energy is part of its strategy to reduce its historical reliance on energy imports. In 2009, the government set a target for renewables to contribute to 42 per cent of total power production by 2020.
Following the successful launch of its Noor PV programme, in 2017 Rabat set a target for 52 per cent of its energy requirements to come from clean energy sources by 2030.
Speaking at Middle East Energy 2021 in May, Tarik Hamane, head of the development department at Masen, said that the 52 per cent target was on track to be met in 2024, six years ahead of the original date.
Hamane revealed that Morocco currently has 4GW of power supply coming from renewable energy with a further 4GW currently under construction or in development
Masen awarded the contract for the country’s first major solar project, the 160MW Noor 1 CSP solar plant, to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power in 2012. Acwa Power was also successful in the tender for the Noor 2 and Noor 3 CSP projects in 2015.
The Saudi developer cemented its dominance in Morocco’s burgeoning solar market in 2017 when it was appointed for the country’s first major PV solar project, the 170MW Noor 1 PV scheme. The Noor 1 programme consists of three PV solar plants at Ouarzazate, Noor Laayoune and Noor Boujdour.
In 2019, Masen awarded a contract to consortium of France’s EDF and UAE-based Masdar to develop the Noor Midelt IPP, Morocco’s first hybrid CSP-PV solar scheme. The Noor Midelt 1 scheme will consist of two-hybrid solar plants, each with a capacity of 400MW.
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