The oil and gas industry may be interested to learn that Morocco is getting into solar power. Indeed, Morocco has recently invited prequalification bids for the construction of thermosolar units at a multibillion-dollar solar-power complex.
The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen), established in November 2009 by the country's council of ministers, said it will accept bids by Oct. 4 from individual firms or companies teaming up in consortia.
The prequalification bids being invited are for the construction of one or more thermosolar units with a capacity of at least 125 Mw at the planned complex, valued at $9 billion, located near the southern Moroccan town of Ouarzazate.
Masen said that more bids will be launched for the Ourzazate solar complex before yearend 2012 and will involve building at least one photovoltaic solar-power station.
Morocco's solar plan
When completed, the Ouarzazate complex is expected to have a capacity of 500 Mw—considered enough to power 90,000 homes.
The Moroccan government says the Ourzazate complex is part of the country's solar plan to build five power stations and will account for 38% of Morocco's installed power generation by 2020.
In May, the European Investment Bank (EIB) underlined its interest in Morocco's solar initiative by calling for expressions of interest in the 500-Mw solar-power project at Ourzazte.
In an Apr. 21 note in the EU Official Journal, the bank said Morocco has initiated a "far-reaching strategy" to boost the share of renewable energies in the Kingdom's power sector to satisfy increasing domestic demand.
Europe interested
"The target is to develop 2,000 Mw wind, 2,000 Mw hydraulic, and 2,000 Mw solar installed capacity by 2020, which is expected to represent 42% of total capacity by then," the EIB said.
The European agency also drew particular attention to Masen, saying that the new organization "besides developing this solar capacity from every angle, is willing to promote R&D and training and help the emergence of a local solar industry."
Kicking off the program, EIB said Masen was inviting parties to participate in a tender for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and financing of the 3,300-hectare Ouarzazte complex.
The region receives an average direct normal radiation of 7.22 kw-hr/sq m/day, and the Mansour Eddahbi dam is 4 km distant—a significant point as access to water is important for running concentrated solar power facilities. Not least, the site is near an existing 225/60 kv high-voltage transmission line.
Oh, and just for the record: Morocco's King Mohamed VI chaired a ceremony in Tangier in late June to launch the country's wind energy program valued at $4 billion.
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