MOROCCO'S FIRST SOLAR POWER PLANT TO COMMENCE OPERATIONS 2015

Morocco gets more than half its energy from coal, but as the country's energy requirement grows, the government has encourage its citizens to look for alternative and cleaner sources of energy. "We need to find alternative sources of energy to meet morocco's needs and the best of which is solar, it is free energy, unlimited and abundant and easily available" says Mustapha Bukkourt of morocco's solar energy agency.

As the nation strives to be a world class renewable energy producer, its first power plant is being constructed near the desert gateway city of Quarzazate and is slated to come online 2015, The 160 MW Noor 1 concentrated solar power plant is the first of five planned solar facilities in a renewable energy mega-project planned for completion by the end of the decade. The project will boast a total power generation capacity of 2,000 MW and is anticipated to cost $9 billion all together. The building phase of the next two solar plants in the project is scheduled to begin in early 2015.

 In 2013, oil and natural gas demand in Morocco surpassed domestic energy production rates for these resources, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Morocco primarily imports hydrocarbons to satisfy its energy needs, however the shift to more renewable energy could help reduce dependence on these resources. "Quarzazate is an environmentally sustainable city with energy, recycling, land reclamation and water savings" says Hakima El-haite (minister of energy, mines, water and environment). Its also about micro irrigation, waste water reuse and lighting with solar energy, it is a smart city.

The $770 million project is expected to have the capacity to generate 160MW with construction of two more solar power stations to begin 2015, to raise awareness about the country's strong solar potential, the oil scarce country recently organized its first international solar festival, Morocco expects to build 5 new solar power plants by 2020 with combined production capacity of 2000MW. Officials are hoping to produce enough clean energy to be able to export to nearby European countries.