The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy has decided to build two photovoltaic power plants, of approximately 100 MW each, near the city of Laâyoune and Boujdour.

It is a real race against time engaged by Masen to respect the solar plan schedule. Capitalising on the learning curve enabled by the Noor Ouarzazate project, the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy is ramping up and accelerating the completion of the other sites selected for the development of a minimum capacity of 2,000 MW by 2020. Thus, after Ouarzazate, which is under construction, and Midelt and Tata, for which the launch of the adjudication process is in preparation, Masen is tackling the Laâyoune and Boujdour projects. In addition to the possibility of developing two photovoltaic power plants of 50 MW each in Laâyoune and Boujdour (within the framework of the call for expressions of interest Noor PVI, launched last week), Masen has decided to build two production plants using the same technology and with a power of approximately 100 MW each, near the city of Laâyoune (Dchira Commune) and Boujdour (Lamssid Rural Commune). An environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for these two projects will be initiated shortly. A call for tenders has just been launched for this purpose.

In a statement to "Le Matin Éco", Masen officials emphasise that this call for tenders concerns the same sites in Laâyoune and Boujdour. "Except that for the ESIAs, the scope has been expanded to 100 MW on each of the sites to anticipate a possible extension or increase in capacity," they specify. The ESIAs for the Laâyoune and Boujdour sites will last two months. The adjudication process should therefore start during this year. Let us recall that the Ouarzazate solar complex, whose partial commissioning is scheduled for the end of this year, will have a production capacity of around 580 MW. The two sites of Midelt and Tata will each have a capacity of approximately 500 MW. Like Ouarzazate, they will have to use the two solar energy production technologies that are evolving rapidly in the world: photovoltaic solar (PV) and thermal solar (or CSP: Concentrated Solar Power). Overall, Masen plans to ensure at least 600 MW of photovoltaic electrical production capacity through the construction of medium-sized power plants in the 5 sites selected by the solar plan. CSP technology will be mainly used for the large power plants in Ouarzazate, Midelt, and Tata. Masen confirms the investment initially announced for the development of the five sites, i.e., 9 billion dollars by 2020.