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Morocco Can Revive Region’s Renewable Energy Hopes [MEED]
Recent news of Morocco’s advancement of their ambitious solar energy project has rekindled attention on green energy growth in the Middle East and North Africa:
Ain Beni Mathar Integrated Combined Cycle Thermo-Solar Power Plant in Morocco. Photo: Dana Smillie / World Bank
The submission of tariff prices for the world’s largest solar scheme at Ouarzazate in Morocco can reinvigorate the region’s renewable energy ambitions. Enthusiasm for the sector had begun to wane so far in 2014, due to slow progress with planned renewable schemes.
After years of talk and little action, 2013 was the year in which the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region finally set out its stall as one of the future global hubs of alternative energy. In February, Saudi Arabia outlined plans for a mammoth 54GW renewable energy programme and, throughout the year, Jordan pushed ahead with the initial phases of its ambitious direct proposal energy programme.
However, fast forward 20 months and there has been little action. Saudi Arabia’s specially founded renewable energy body, King Abdullah Centre for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-Care), has made no further progress with its programme, with the latest rumours emanating from the kingdom that state oil major Saudi Aramco will be drafted in to spearhead its renewable energy efforts…[Full Story]
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