Morocco has commissioned 160MW Noor 1, the first phase of the world’s largest solar power plant located near Ouarzazate city.
Once operational, the three-phase Noor-Ouarzazate CSP will produce around 580MW of electricity, which will meet the needs of around one million people by 2018.
The International Energy Agency estimates that up to 11% of the world’s electricity generation in 2050 could come from CSP.
The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy had received around $3bn fund from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), European financing institutions and the World Bank to develop Noor-Ouarzazate complex.
The utility-scale solar energy complex is part of the Moroccan Solar Energy Programme, which aims to install 2GW of solar power by 2020.
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World Bank Country Maghreb and Malta director Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly said: "With this bold step toward a clean energy future, Morocco is pioneering a greener development and developing a cutting edge solar technology.
"The returns on this investment will be significant for the country and its people, by enhancing energy security, creating a cleaner environment, and encouraging new industries and job creation."
Reuters reported that power generated from the first phase will be sold at $0.19 per kilowatt / hour.
The facility is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 760,000t a year and lower the country’s energy dependence by around two and half million tons of oil.
