Morocco: Construction of Midelt 210-MW wind farm completed

The Moroccan National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) announced on Wednesday the completion of the construction of a 210 MW wind farm in Midelt.

 

The construction of the new wind farm required an investment of 2.5 billion dirhams ($284,000,000) and was completed over a 24-month period, ONEE said in a release.

 

The Midelt wind farm, extending over an area of 2,300 hectares, is part of Morocco’s Integrated Wind Farm program, which aims to build a wind farm network with a combined 850-megawatt (MW) capacity by 2023. The network also includes plans for complexes in Boujdour, Tiskrad, and Essaouira.

This large-scale project is part of the implementation of the royal vision to ensure the Kingdom’s energy supply, in particular through the development of renewable energies, ONEE pointed out.

 

In 2009 Morocco announced that it aims to cover 42% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030.

Morocco raised the target to 52% in 2015 and has moved at a faster pace that will enable it to cover up to 65% of its energy needs from renewable sources thanks to steady investment and consistent policies endorsed at the highest state level.

Morocco’s headway with energy transition was facilitated by an investment-friendly regulatory framework allowing tendering and auctions for large-scale solar and wind projects, encouraging private investments in the sector.