Morocco to become world’s largest solar energy supplier

New project will establish Morocco as a leader in solar energy

Morocco may soon become the leading power in solar energy. Next month, the country will be beginning the first phase of a large-scale renewable energy plan, where solar power will play a major role. The country is developing a new energy system outside the city of Ouarzazate and the government believes that it will become a very valuable source of power for Morocco. The project will be comprised of hydropower systems, as well as wind turbines, but it will also leverage the power of the sun in order to generate electricity.

Concentrated solar power will be used to produce electricity

The solar energy portion of the project is expected to power 1 million homes in the country by itself. When the project, as a whole, is completed, it will be able to satisfy 50% of Morocco’s energy needs. The project is expected to be completed at some point in 2020. The first phase of the project involves the installation of some 500,000 mirrors, which are designed to catch sunlight as the sun passes overhead. This sunlight will be concentrated, directing light at steel pipes that are filled with synthetic thermal oil. The thermal oil will then be used to evaporate water, generating steam that is then funneled through turbines to produce electrical power.

Morocco could export renewable energy from new project

Concentrated solar energy is more expensive than conventional forms of solar power, but Morocco believes that this is the best solution for its energy needs. Eventually, the project is expected to produce enough power to allow Morocco to become the world’s largest solar energy supplier. The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy believes that the country will be able to export renewable energy to several countries in the Middle East and Europe.

Solar energy is attracting more support from around the world

Solar energy continues to gain traction throughout the world, with many countries turning to this form of renewable energy in order to become more environmentally friendly. Solar energy projects also have economic benefits, as they create several jobs and allow countries to reduce their spending on fuel imports from other countries.