The third phase of a solar power project in Morocco’s Atlas highlands is the subject of a prequalification tender that was announced on Wednesday. The Masen agency for renewable energy in Morocco has made the announcement.
The tender calls for the financing, construction, and operation of the 400 megawatt (MW) Noor Midelt III using photovoltaic (PV) technology. But it wants developers to submit prequalification paperwork by October 20.
The 800-MW Noor Midelt I project’s first phase is being developed by a partnership led by EDF Renouvelables in 2019 using a combination of PV and concentrated solar power (CSP) technology.
Four years later, the first phase is still not finished, in part because of disputes about CSP technology, according to sources.
Masen said last month that it has prequalified six consortiums to submit bids as developers for the Noor Midelt II PV facility, a 400 MW second phase of the project with a two-hour storage capacity.
In 2022, coal made up the remaining 80% of Morocco’s actual electricity output, with renewable energy making up 18%. 40% of the installed power capacity is made up of renewable sources, a percentage Morocco hopes to increase to 52% by 2030.