Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

PHOTOVOLTAICA Hosts 60 Participants from Four Continents | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55358051
Caption:

Casablanca-The second edition of PHOTOVOLTAICA Exhibition (International Photovoltaic Exhibition & Conference 2016) that kicked off on September 7 in Casablanca has attracted 60 exhibiters and around 500 visitors from four continents: Africa, Europe, America, and Asia. Portugal was the top participant in this edition with the biggest delegation, followed by the Italian, Spanish, and French delegations.

Three African ministers of energy also participated in the opening session of the exhibition, and expressed their countries’ will to benefit from the Moroccan experience and the success it has achieved in the field of renewable energy. This experience aims at increasing the energy contribution in response to the country’s needs of power to 42% by 2020, and 52% by 2030.

Commenting on his country’s achievements in the renewable energy sector, Moroccan Minister of Energy Abdelkader Amara said that the current production capacity in his country supplied by using renewable and clean energy resources has reached 2740 MW, and is expected to reach 6930 MG by 2020, and to 13,000 MW by 2030 based on the ongoing projects.

Amara pointed that the production capacity provided by wind farms has reached 780MW and that this number will duplicate with the establishment of three new stations with 850 MW as part of a project awarded to a group of Moroccan and international companies.

As for solar energy, the Moroccan minister noted that the advancement has been mainly achieved after operating Nour Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS) generating 160MW since the beginning of 2016, in addition to two under-construction power stations Nour2 and Nour 3, which are expected to generate 350 MW.

He also revealed that Morocco is discussing new projects in the solar power field to establish Nour 4 in Ouarzazate with a production capacity of 70 MW, and two new stations in Laayoune and Boujdour with a capacity of 100 MW; Amara also talked about the changes that have taken place in the legal status of production and marketing of renewable energy by the private sector and its role in this success.

Mohammad Abdullah Abunayyan, executive chairman of Saudi Arabian ACWA Power, which handled the establishment and development of Nour Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS) said that Morocco has taken a courageous step, and praised the Moroccan policy that dedicated exceptional importance to develop a national industry sector linked to renewable energy.

The exhibition will witness a series of scientific and technical symposiums in which 100 speakers from four continents participate. There will also be meetings among delegations and companies, and inking of many agreements.