EDF and Masdar to build 800 MW concentrated solar power – PV hybrid in Morocco

Combination of PV and concentrated solar power with storage will boost 800 MW plant’s flexibility, says winning consortium.

The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) has announced – after a competitive international bidding process – that the consortium of EDF (through its subsidiary EDF Renewables), Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company- Masdar, and Green of Africa, Moroccan Independent Power Producer, is the successful bidder for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of Noor Midelt I multi-technologies solar power plant.

With a capacity of 800 MW, this innovative hybrid solar project gathers concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) technologies. The hybridization of these technologies is a world first.

The combined operation of photovoltaic and CSP technologies increases the plant’s output to produce a flexible, dispatchable and competitive electricity for the Moroccan grid until five hours after sunset.

The plant will be located 20km north of the town of Midelt in central Morocco, in the high plains surrounding the Moulouya River and between the Middle and High Atlas Mountains. Construction on the project is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2019, while energy will be delivered to the grid in 2022.

 “EDF Renewables, Masdar and Green of Africa would like to thank the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy and the King of Morocco for having designated our consortium as the successful bidder to develop the innovative NoorMidelt I with an installed capacity of 800 MW hybrid concentrated solar power and photovoltaic power plant. The consortium is fully committed to supporting MASEN and the realization of Morocco’s long-term renewable energy ambitions,” the consortium members said.

 The project is a key milestone towards the achievement of Morocco’s objective to have 52% of its electricity generation produced from renewable sources by 2030.

A key player in energy transition, the EDF Group is an integrated electricity company, active in all areas of the business: generation, transmission, distribution, energy supply and trading, energy services. A global leader in low-carbon energies, the Group has developed a diversified generation mix based on nuclear power, hydropower, new renewable energies and thermal energy. The Group is involved in supplying energy and services to approximately 39.8 million customers, 29.7million of which are in France. It generated consolidated sales of €69 billion in 2018. EDF is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange

EDF Renewables is a leading international player in renewable energies, with gross installed capacity of 13 GW worldwide. Its development is mainly focused on wind and solar photovoltaic power. EDF Renewables operates mostly in Europe and North America but is continuing to grow by moving into promising emerging regions such as Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the Middle East. The company has strong positions in offshore wind power, but also in other areas of the renewable energies industry such distributed energy and energy storage. EDF Renewables develops, builds, operates and maintains renewable energies projects, both for itself and for third parties. Most of its international subsidiaries bear the EDF Renewables brand. EDF Renewables is the EDF Group subsidiary specialising in developing solar and wind power.