By Ghana News –SpyGhana.com
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Morocco has made renewable energy a major part of its economic policy. This policy is reflected in the ambitious solar energy whose implementation is provided by The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen) is a leaf and road to the kingdom a global leader in the field in 2020.
Today King Mohammed VI presided over a working session to examine the progress of the implementation of the Moroccan solar plan NOOR, as well as means to enhance it in the future, said a statement by the Royal Office.
The session is part of the regular follow-up by HM the King of the plan’s different stages since its launch on November 2, 2009 in Ouarzazate and the setting up of the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN).
During this meeting, HM the King reiterated Morocco’s will to ensure the durability of its economic and social development through an efficient, environment-friendly energy policy to shield future generations from economic and ecological threats.
Chairman of MASEN board of directors Mustapha Bakkoury gave a presentation on the progress of the first plant NOOR Ouarzazate 1 which is following its schedule after finishing the tender and funding stages. The first kilowatt-hours of NOOR Ouarzazate 1, which is a leading plant worldwide, will be injected in the national electric network as of August 2015.
Bakkoury also presented the program of carrying out the three power stations NOOR Ouarzazate 2, NOOR Ouarzazate 3 and NOOR Ouarzazate 4, which will enable the finalization of the Ouarzazate solar complex with a capacity of 500 megawatts.
The presentation also touched on the selection of new sites for the future projects, to maintain goals set for the Moroccan solar plan, namely 2000 megawatts by 2020, that is 14% of Morocco’s energy needs, given that the renewable energy share will be 42% of the overall electric consumption.
The selection of the new sites is carried out by virtue of the Solar Atlas of the Moroccan territory which was recently finalized and completed by a multidimensional analysis of the different regions. The chosen sites for the upcoming projects by the Moroccan solar plan are Midelt and Tata.
The sovereign gave on this occasion his instructions to make the Moroccan solar plan a real lever for south-north and south-south cooperation through sharing green energy with European countries and institutional and operational cooperation with sub-Saharan African countries with solar potential.
In an age of dwindling non-renewable resources, the race for what’s left is intensifying and could possibly lead to more wars and devastation. Switching to alternative forms of renewable energy is the way forward and those who get there first will most likely be the leaders of the future.
Apparently, Morocco grasped the message quickly and started thinking seriously over the last decade of developing new energies that could put Morocco as a world leader in clean energies.
Many think of Morocco as an exceptional nation in the Arab and Muslim worlds; they do so because the country has its own unique history and charts its own political path, away from the turbulence that is engulfing other nations. It’s almost as if the laws governing the region do not apply to it.
But there is another way in which Morocco is rather exceptional. It is one of the few countries in the region without oil or gas. This has meant a more enterprising and creative population, but it also saddles the nation with colossal bills for energy. There are now hints that a different future is in the offing.
This major project is part of Morocco’s energy strategy drawn in accordance with the directives of King Mohammed VI and aims in particular to its establishment, in 2020, with a capacity of 2,000 megawatts (MW) from five sites identified, located respectively in Ouarzazate, Ain Bni Mathar, Foum Al Oued, Boujdour and Sebkhat Tah.
In order to complete the implementation of the Moroccan Solar Plan, Masen is responsible for the design of integrated solar development projects in areas of the country able to house plants generating electricity from solar energy , projects including a solar power generation plant, as well as achievements and related activities contributing to the development of the settlement area and more generally in the country.
The agency’s objectives is also the development of technical, economic and financial resources for the qualification of sites, design the construction and operation of solar projects, contributing to the research and the mobilization of funds needed to implementation and operation of solar projects, the proposal in the administration of industrial integration methods for each solar project and its implementation. It also works for the construction of infrastructure for connecting the main central to the transmission of electricity, as well as the infrastructure to supply water to the subject matter duties devolved by legislation to any other body of law public or private, to promote the program to national and foreign investors, the contribution to the development of applied research and the promotion of technological innovation in filièrees solar electricity production, and the creation of networks specialized training in solar energy in partnership with engineering schools, universities and vocational training centers.
Thanks to its many strengths and its commitment to move forward in this area, Morocco puts itself as a major player in the global renewable energy required to form the one of the fundamental means for achieving the objectives of sustainable development.
from Temsamani said
