Morocco starts operating 1st phase of world’s biggest solar power plant

Morocco has started operating the world's biggest solar power plants, which include four separate stations, in the southeastern city of Ouarzazate.

Noor plant 1 is fully operative and work is underway to implement both Noor plants 2 and 3 that will be followed by the fourth phase which is set to generate an annual electricity of 200 MW.

The vast power plant will generate 500 MW during each phase, accommodating the needs of nearly 1.5 million citizens, MENA correspondent reported after visiting Noor plant.

The European Union (EU) has granted euros 106 million green bond to help finance Noor, Head of Delegation of the EU to Morocco Rupert Joy said, adding that other loans were offered by the European Investment Bank, the French Development Agency and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit.

With total loans of euro 1.2 billion, the European side has funded 60 percent of the mega Moroccan project, Joy stated.

Meanwhile, the representative of the European Investment Bank in Morocco highlighted the contribution of the bank to supporting projects aim at combating climate change in the Mediterranean basin, asserting that Morocco is the second biggest beneficiary of support offered by the bank after Egypt.

He added that as of 2018 Noor plant will be producing 580 MW of renewable energy in accordance with the North African country’s strategy to boost dependency on renewable energy as source of electricity.

By 2020 it will cover 42 percent of its energy needs. In a course of decade, 10 percents more will be generated.

As many as 1.4 million curved mirrors, fixed on axes moving automatically toward the sun, have been installed to help in absorbing the largest quantity of sun rays, Executive Engineer of the project Joseph Stitto said.

Source: MENA