Gotion Power Morocco partners with Acwa power in $800mln wind project

Gotion Power Morocco, a subsidiary of Chinese giant Gotion High Tech, signed a deal under which Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power will build a 500MW wind plant, worth 800 million dollars.

The plant will be equipped with 2000 MW battery storage system and will help power the EV battery plant that Gotion Power Morocco is building in Kenitra.

The company said the deal with ACWA Power marks a “significant milestone in our commitment to sustainability.”

“Gotion Power Morocco becomes the first Gigafactory with its own dedicated solar and wind farm,” the company said on its Linkedin account.

“This positions us as a leading, sustainable player in EV and BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) across the EMEA region, paving the way for a cleaner, more affordable energy future,” it said.

The $1.3 billion gigafactory will start production in 2026 and will export 85% of its output.

The plant will be located in Kenitra and will start with a capacity of 20 gigawatts per hour and eventual capacity of 120 gwh.

The investment is the first of its kind in Africa and the Middle East and is conducive to Morocco’s push to be a leader in EV battery manufacturing.

The plant is also part of Morocco’s plan to attract 50 billion dollars in high added value investments between 2022 and 2026 with a potential to create 500,000 jobs.

Despite fierce competition, Morocco attracted these major investments thanks to its assets, including political stability, geographic location, investment-friendly climate, and skilled labor force.

Morocco’s free trade agreements also offer access to major markets, further encouraging EV battery makers to set up plants in the country.

Gotion’s investment is the largest in the EV battery field in Morocco, where other Chinese manufacturers have already announced big plans.

In May, Chinese auto battery manufacturers Hailiang and Shinzoom announced two separate plans to produce copper and anodes respectively for a combined total nearing 1 billion dollars in Tanger Tech.

In April, BTR New Material Group signed a deal with the Moroccan government to set up a cathodes plant, critical to EV battery manufacturing.

In September last year, CNGR Advanced Materials partnered with Moroccan private investment fund Al Mada to build an electric vehicle battery plant in Jorf Lasfar worth 2 billion dollars.

Besides phosphates, Morocco is rich with cobalt, a critical requirement in EV battery manufacturing.