SearchEn menu en ClientConnect
Search
Results
Top 5 search resultsSee all results Advanced search
Top searches
Most visited pages
    corporate_banner_en

    Solar energy powers ahead in Ouarzazate

    Who we are
    EFSI
    The EIB in numbers
    EIB Group impact: Boosting GDP and jobs
    Governance and structure
    Shareholders
    Statutory bodies
    Control and evaluation
    Organisation structure
    Our priorities
    Climate and environment
    Climate and environmental sustainability
    Immerse yourself in Europe’s innovative climate solutions with EIB 360°
    EIB climate action explained
    How to get help for your climate project
    EIB Group's Climate Bank Roadmap
    Environmental sustainability
    Innovation and skills
    SMEs and mid-caps
    Infrastructure and the EIB
    Trans-European Transport and Energy Networks (TENs)
    Environmental protection
    Our initiatives
    Economic Resilience Initiative
    Gender equality and women’s economic empowerment
    Circular economy
    Sustainable oceans and blue economy
    Investing for Youth
    Coronavirus outbreak: EIB Group’s response
    Corporate responsibility
    Providing finance
    Borrowing
    Building a sustainable world
    Our internal commitment
    Our environmental management
    Human rights and the EIB
    Compliance
    Taxation: avoiding misuse of EIB Group operations
    Accountability
    Evaluation
    About Evaluation
    Project Procurement complaints
    EIB Group Complaints Mechanism overview
    What we do - Complaints Mechanism
    The complaints process - Complaints Mechanism
    Submit a complaint - Complaints Mechanism
    Frequently Asked Questions - Complaints Mechanism
    Complaints
    Investigating Prohibited Conduct
    How to report Prohibited Conduct
    Exclusion
    Part of the EU family
    Tackling global challenges together
    Together on forced displacement and migration
    Together on infrastructure
    Partners
    National promotional banks and institutions
    Banking community
    Multilateral development banks
    The EIB Institute: partnering with universities
    Civil Society and Stakeholder Engagement
    Public consultations
    EIB transparency and access to information
    Civil Society - Key policies and standards
    Civil Society - Policy engagement
    Civil Society - Events
    Civil Society - Contact us
    Transparency and access to information
    Careers
    Work with us
    We invest in you
    Diversity
    Life outside the office
    Current vacancies
    Our recruitment process explained
    Procurement

    Solar energy powers ahead in Ouarzazate

      •  Display in:
      • de
      • en
      • fr
    • Available in: de en fr

    The Noor Ouarzazate solar power complex harnesses the potential of the most abundant source of energy in North Africa – the sun. Thanks to the support of the EU and the EIB, among others, Morocco has started its own path towards becoming a sustainable-energy country. Noor Ouarzazate is a hands-on example of how the COP21 agreement is being converted into COP22 actions.


    Noor Ouarzazate is one of the biggest solar power complexes in the world. Once completed, it will have over 580 MW installed capacity and provide electricity to 350 000 homes in Morocco. The plant is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 760,000 tons per year, and 17.5 million tons over 25 years.

    Currently, Morocco imports over 97% of its energy, much of it in the form of oil, which makes it very vulnerable to volatile fuel costs. The Noor Ouarzazate solar power complex is expected to reverse the situation: it will produce carbon-free energy equivalent to that from 2.5 million tons of imported oil, even creating the potential for green exports to neighbouring countries. It will also boost employment and create a local solar industry as part of the process.

    Ouarzazate power plant impact

    EU support for the Mediterranean Solar Plan

    EU support came through the Neighbouring Investment Facility (NIF) which granted EUR 106.5 million to for the Noor Ouarzazate complex. The NIF is an innovative instrument created to co-finance infrastructure projects in EU neighbouring countries and helped catalyse the participation of the EIB, which finances EUR 217.5 million for the three first phases and other investors such as the French Agency for Development (AFD) as well as the German Development Bank (KfW). In total, European funds amount to up to 60% of the project cost.

    This is the biggest operation under the EU-supported “Mediterranean Solar Plan”. This plan aims to create additional renewable energy capacity of over 20 GW by 2020 in the Mediterranean partner countries.

    Noor Ouarzazate also reflects Morocco’s energy ambitious. The country aims to generate more than half of its power from sustainable energy sources by 2030. Morocco’s renewable energy mix would combine solar, wind and hydro power, with each accounting for 14% of the total mix by 2020.

    A Creative Light: Ouarzazate stories

    Eight creative writers went to the desert with no instructions, except to write something amazing. They did.



    COP22, EU and the MENA region: Gearing up for the next climate change challenge

    Tackling climate change is a global imperative and major political priority for world leaders, spearheaded by EU efforts to cut a deal at the Paris COP21 climate conference. The next huge challenge is to convert the COP21 agreement into COP22 actions that make a real difference to all aspects of our lives — our air, our water and our environment.

    The Noor Ouarzazate project is a flagship project in Morocco. But EU supported actions against climate change in the region are not limited to energy policies – they also involve agriculture or water management systems, for instance.

    According to the UNFCCC, some countries are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. They are those with low elevations above sea level, with arid or semi-arid territories and subject to extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts or desertification.

    Regions such as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are included among these vulnerable areas. Projects, large and small, to tackle these problems need strong partnerships and financial support to get off the ground. EU funding and cooperation mechanisms offer strategic support and expertise where it is most needed.



    EIB and climate finance

    The EIB is the world’s largest multilateral provider of climate finance. During the period 2011-2015, the EIB provided EUR 90.5 billion in climate finance, and it will invest around EUR 100 billion in climate projects around the world over the next five years.

    Morocco has been one of the first beneficiaries of EIB’s climate action in Africa. In the last five years, the EIB has provided a total of EUR 500 million for climate projects in Morocco, out of a total of EUR 1.7 billion of investments in the country.





     Print
     
     

    Our website uses anonymised cookies to give you the best browser experience and to collect aggregated statistics. This does not include online advertising cookies.

    Manage cookies  
     

    Cookies on our Careers Section

    Our website uses anonymised cookies to give you the best browser experience and to collect aggregated statistics. If you agree, this website section will also include third-party cookies used in online advertising.

    Manage cookies