MOROCCO – French renewable power plants operator, Voltalia has been awarded a contract to develop two photovoltaic (PV) solar plants with a combined total capacity of 117MW in Morocco.
The contracts have been awarded under the competitive tendering process for the Noor 2 PV Program which will see Voltalia develop a 69 MW plant in Ain Beni Mathat and a 48MW plant in Guercif.
The Moroccan Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, and the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) launched the tenders for the program covering seven sites eligible for the development of photovoltaic projects.
According to Voltalia, the program seeks to boost the development of private solar projects as part of Morocco’s renewable energy aspirations.
The two solar hubs will be able to cover the energy needs to be estimated to have an annual consumption of 290,0000 inhabitants.
The company is scheduling construction for the end of 2023, and revenues will be guaranteed by long-term electricity sales contracts, to be concluded with private customers connected to the public electricity grid.
Voltalia expressed satisfaction with securing the project, suggesting it would use this major contract to consolidate its presence in Morocco.
“We are very pleased to have won these sites in Morocco. These future photovoltaic power plants will contribute to the decarbonization of energy by avoiding the emission of approximately 200,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere,” CEO of Voltalia Sebastien Clerc said.
Voltalia’s Moroccan team has been operating in the North African country since 2015, with the aim of supporting Morocco’s energy transition.
The Moroccan government has been intensifying efforts and investments to boost the country’s energy sector.
In December 2021, Minister of Energy Transition Leila Benali announced that the North African country has over 60 renewable energy projects under development or being produced in partnership with foreign collaborators.
The projects are in line with the North African country’s efforts to produce 52% of electricity from renewable energy by 2030.
Currently, the country’s renewable energy sources stand at 3,950 megawatts according to a government report.
The number represents around 37% of the total installed electric power or 20% of North African country’s electric demand.
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