Morocco Seeks Private Investors for Windfarms

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--To reduce Morocco's dependence on foreign energy, the Moroccan government is formulating a comprehensive energy-reform strategy that focuses on conservation and renewable energy production. Morocco imports 96% of its energy from abroad at very high costs.

A proposed course of action calls for renewed efforts to invest in the energy sector, particularly in wind energy, through public-private partnerships, which have allowed both an increase in safety standards and a relative reduction in investment costs, making renewable energy a realistic and competitive alternative, especially when prices for oil and gas are at high levels.

Morocco has very strong potential for renewable energy projects. Click on image at right for a detailed breakdown of forecast potential for different forms of renewable energy. Wind potential is particularly high, especially in the north and south of the country:

• Essaouira, Tangier and Tetouan have average windspeeds of 9.5 to 11 meters per second at 40 meters
• Tarfaya, Taza and Dakhla have average windspeeds between 7.5 and 9.5 meters per second at 40 meters
• Morocco has a total wind power potential of 7,936 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year
• electricity consumption in Morocco in 2007 was 22.6 TWh
• a detailed atlas of windspeed and patterns in Morocco was published in 1995 and updated in 2007
• more than 50 wind-measurement stations were installed between 1990 and 2007

Morocco is attempting to obtain private funding for the Tarfaya 300-megawatt (MW) windfarm project. Morocco's Office National de Electricite invited potential bidders for the Tarfaya windfarm project for a final discussion about project specifications and technical clarifications in the third week of October. The winning bidder will build a 200-MW windfarm, which will begin operating in 2011. The developer will have the option of increasing the size of the windfarm to 300 MW at a later stage.

Garrad Hassan & Partners Limited (Bristol, England) is the technical advisor. Chadbourne & Parke (New York, New York) is the international legal adviser, while Naciri & Associés (Casablanca) and Gide Loyrette Nouel (Paris) are the local legal advisers.

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