Morocco, a country resolutely turned towards the green. A vision that finds its full meaning in the launch of the construction works for the first power plant of the Ouarzazate integrated solar complex, presided over by His Majesty King Mohammed VI on Friday, 10 May. The Sovereign named the project "Noor".

On this occasion, the Chairman of the Board of the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen), Mustapha Bakkoury, delivered a speech before His Majesty the King in which he highlighted the objectives assigned to this new structuring project, which reinforces the royal will to optimise the exploitation of Morocco's natural resources, preserve its environment, sustain its economic and social development, and ensure the future of coming generations. Also, the first of its kind in the world in terms of production capacity with 160 MW, the future power plant, with a budget of 7 billion dirhams, will be operational within 28 months and will allow for the promotion of local industry, the acquisition of high-level expertise in the field, the integrated development of the region of implementation, as well as the production of clean and renewable electrical energy, Mr Bakkoury stressed. He explains that, covering 3,000 hectares, the "Noor" solar complex is expected to eventually reach a total production capacity of 500 MW, noting that this project benefits from the support of international donors, major solar energy operators and developers, and civil society actors.

For his part, the Director of the National Office of Electricity and Potable Water (ONEE), Ali Fassi Fihri, stressed that the realisation of the complex is in line with efforts aimed at meeting future electricity needs within the framework of an integrated vision of sustainable development. Also, with a national demand for electrical energy that is increasingly growing and becoming more and more similar to that of developed countries, Morocco has opted for appropriate responses to the challenge posed, namely integrated renewable energy programmes, solar and wind. For his part, Mohamed Abdullah Abunayyan, Executive Chairman of Acwa Power, the lead company of the consortium in charge of the development and management of the first power plant of the Ouarzazate solar complex, indicated that the realisation of this power plant testifies to the capacity of the two Kingdoms, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, to meet the challenges related to renewable energies.

At the same time, the Sovereign presided over the signing ceremony of two conventions. The first relates to the extension of the access road to the village of Tasselmante to the village of Agoudim and the construction of a crossing structure over Oued Izerki, and the second convention concerns the financing and construction of off-site drinking water infrastructure for the solar complex and the rural commune of Ghessate and its Douars.