HM the King chairs launching of construction of first plant of the Noor integrated solar complex
PERSISMA, Rural locality of Ghessate (Province of Ouarzazate), – HM King Mohammed VI chaired this Friday at the rural locality of Ghessate (Province of Ouarzazate) the launching of construction of the first plant of the +Noor+ integrated complex that the Sovereign named “Noor”.
Chairman of the Moroccan Agency For Solar Energy (MASEN), Mustapha Bakkoury, made on the occasion a presentation highlighting the goals of this major project that confirms HM the King’s will to optimize the use of Morocco’s natural resources, preserve environment, promote sustainable economic and social development and secure the future of coming generations.
This is the first plant of the kind in the world in terms of production capacity (160 MW). The plant, to cost 7 billion dirhams, will be operational in 28 months. It will help promote local industry, acquire high-level expertise in the field and guarantee an integrated development of the region and the production of clean and renewable electric energy, said Bakkoury.
Extending over an area of 3,000 hectares, the solar complex will upon completion reach a general production capacity of 500 MW, he went on, noting that the project is supported by international fund-donors, major actors and operators of solar energy and the civil society.
On his part, manager of the Moroccan national electricity and drinking water office (ONEE), Ali Fassi Fihri, said the complex is in line with efforts meant to meet the future electricity needs as part of an integrated sustained development vision.
With increasing electricity demand, getting close to the developed countries’ one, Morocco has opted for appropriate solutions to the challenge of integrated solar and wind renewable energies.
Part of the Moroccan solar energy plan, the “Nour” solar complex will be supported as far as infrastructure is concerned by ONEE, Fassi-Fihri went on, stressing that the Office will conduct works to connect the compound to the national electric grid (557 million dirhams), and supply the compound with industrial and drinking water (202 million dirhams).
CEO of ACWA POWER, lead of a consortium in charge of developing and managing the first plant of the Ouarzazate solar complex, Mohamed Abdullah Abunayyan, said this plant illustrates the ability of the Moroccan and Saudi kingdoms to face challenges associated with renewable energies.
The Noor solar compound first plant will be using parabolic power concentration technology which enables to concentrate sun radiation in order to heat at very high temperature a fluid that will be circulating in a tube, itself highly heated by the concentrated sun radiations. This liquid will generate water steam that will be operating electricity-generating turbines.
The plant will produce energy both during day and night times thanks to the thermal system three-hour storage capacity using molten salts.
During the ceremony, a 3D movie on the Noor solar compound was screened.
On the same occasion, the sovereign chaired the signing ceremony of two conventions: the first convention deals with the extension of the village of Tasselmante’s road to reach the Agoudim village and the building of a crossing over the Oued Izerki river. It was signed by equipment and transport minister Aziz Rebbah, Mustapha Bakkoury and head of the Ghessate rural locality, Mohamed Ifrassen.
The second convention, related to the financing and carrying out of out-of-site drinking water facilities was signed by Bakkoury, Ali Fassi Fihri and Mohamed Ifrassen.
The ceremony took place in the presence of the head of government, the advisors of HM the King, cabinet members, representatives of international fund donors (states and organizations), members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Morocco and several other civil and military figures.
