Ouarzazate Solar Power Station

Location: Ouarzazate, Morocco

Type: Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) & Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

Status: Under construction

Year of establishment: 2020

Installed Capacity: 160 MWe

Project Description

Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS), also called Noor Power Station is a solar power complex located in the Drâa-Tafilalet region in Morocco, 10 km (6.2 mi) from Ouarzazate town, in Ghessat rural council area. The entire Solar Project is planned to produce 580 MWe at peak when finished and is being built in three phases and in four parts. The total project is expected to cost $9 billion.

Purpose/Application

Electricity production.

Unique Aspect

The Noor I CSP plant is expected to offset 240,000t a year of CO2 emissions, and generate approximately 1,000 construction jobs and 60 permanent jobs during the operations and maintenance phase. The Noor II and Noor III plants combined will help offset 533,000t of CO2 emissions a year.

Future Plans

It is a great project and still needs 2 more years to be fully developed and function at its full capacity. The successors Noor 2 & 3 are CSP plants with 200 MWe & 150 MWe capacity, respectively, and Noor 4 will be an 80 MWe PV solar plant. It is a unique take on Hybrid Solar power which has a great potential especially in Africa.