MOROCCO: A consortium of Enel Green Power (EGP), Nareva and Siemens has been officially named as preferred bidders to develop five projects in Morocco, totalling 850MW

Backing the Sahara Wind project's regional applied research work, the world’s biggest power-equipment maker is building a trial technology that turns wind power into ammonia gas, a product that could clean up pollution from the fertilizer industry.

A plant near Oxford, England, makes ammonia by electrolysis instead of through the traditional reaction fed by fossil fuels. If fed by idled renewable power plants, the process would make emissions-free fertilizer used by farmers everywhere. Besides reducing carbon pollution worldwide, the technology could absorb excess output from wind and solar farms as well as store electricity in the form of a usable gas. Siemens estimates it could help cut emissions by 360 million tons a year, more than the annual carbon output of France. Although still expensive, Siemens reckons technology costs will come down over time, especially if the market for hydrogen-powered vehicles grows.

100 millions d’euros pour une usine de pales.

La future usine de Siemens devra entrer en service dès 2017 avec une production prévue de 650 pales par an. Le groupe allemand Siemens vient d’annoncer la signature d’un protocole d’accord pour la construction au Maroc d’un site de production de pales pour éoliennes. Le nombre d’emplois à créer est de 700 avec un investissement prévu de 100 millions d’euros, soit l’équivalent de 1,1 milliard de DH. Son entrée en service est prévue pour le printemps 2017. 

Presented at the EU and MPCs Cooperation in the Energy Sector International Workshop in Athens, Greece on 22-23 February 2016

During this event focused on the cooperation between EU and Mediterranean Partner Countries, Sahara Wind presented its integrated project development framework. Funded under the MARE project and organized by the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving - CRES, this workshop discussed challenges, opportunities as well as barriers to develop cooperation in the Energy Sector between the EU and MPC countries.

Sahara Wind débat sur le "Secteur énergétique et son intégration en Afrique du Nord" le 29 Février 2016 à Casablanca.

Organisé par la Banque Africaine de Développement et l'Union du Maghreb Arabe ce débat avait pour objectif de mettre en valeur les opportunités économiques d’intégration régionale au niveau des pays du Maghreb. En utilisant les interconnexions électriques existantes au niveau du Maghreb, l’accès à l’énergie éolienne à grande échelle est possible à des prix défiant toute concurrence. Cet état des lieux a été mis en évidence par le projet Sahara Wind lors du débat sur l’intégration des filières industrielles des énergies renouvelables au niveau régional.

Sahara Wind at the 8th session of the MEDAYS Forum on November 13th 2015 in Tangier.

During this annual event, Khalid Benhamou, Managing Director Sahara Wind moderated the session on «Improving security, efficiency, sustainability and energy accessibility».

The Sahara Wind project presented at the EWEA 2015 "Supply Chain: Glocalization" session on November 17 2015 in Paris, France.

Held a few weeks before the Global Climate COP21 conference, EWEA 2015's "Supply Chain: Glocalization" session enabled the local contents analysis of the region’s operational wind power projects. These represent the MENA regions largest in terms of cumulative installed wind capacity. The session also included a thorough analysis of ONEE's current 850 MW integrated wind energy program with respect to local sourcing contents versus global supply chains. Within such frameworks, the multi Giga-Watt perspectives provided by the Sahara Wind project were evaluated. The ensuing Question & Answers session enabled the debate to be carried on with the audience.

Sahara Wind at the e-Highway2050 Final Conference - Unveiling the Electricity Highways Project Results: “Europe’s Future Secure and Sustainable Electricity Infrastructure” November 3-4, 2015 in Brussels.

The e-Highway2050 project is supported by the EU Seventh Framework Programme and is aimed at developing a methodology to support the planning of the Pan-European Transmission Network, focusing on 2020 to 2050, to ensure the reliable delivery of renewable electricity and pan-European market integration. The European Commission and the e-Highway2050 consortium invited policy makers, regulators, system operators, manufacturers, planning and academic experts to the presentation of the final results of the e-Highway2050 project. After 40 months of intense work, the project delivered its results at the end of 2015. The 3-4 November conference presented the main findings of the project and offered a forum to discuss future implementation.

Sahara Wind at INDC Forum Rabat, October 12-13 2015.

A few weeks before the Global Climate Conference in Paris -and ahead of its next Presidency- Morocco hosted the INDC Forum on 12-13 October in Rabat. Organized in collaboration with the European Commission, the United Nations Development (UNDP) and Environment (UNEP) Programmes and the Delegate Ministry of Energy, Mines and Water in charge of the Environment of the Kingdom of Morocco this Forum brought together policy makers, high level government officials, expert organizations and lead voices from the academia, private sector and civil society. The INDC Forum recognized the INDCs of 149 countries received which represent an unprecedented scale (90% of global emissions), scope and collective effort to regulate greenhouse gases. A global policy response to strengthen government actions and leverage “action agendas” is one of its key objectives.

Sahara Wind at the 2015 Africa Beyond 2015 OECD Forum September 9th 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

The Africa Forum is the annual gathering where OECD and African policy makers, private sector representatives, academics and civil society leaders meet to debate the performance of African economies and the challenges ahead. Organized by the OECD Development Centre and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, in collaboration with German Federal Foreign Office and in partnership with the African Union Commission, the 2015 edition focused on Africa’s development agenda beyond 2015. It did so in light of the debates on Sustainable Development Goals and Financing for Development, the impact of the continent’s future demographic development on its economic transformation, and the policy responses to climate change.

Sahara Wind at the Vienna Energy Forum June 18-20th 2015 in Vienna

Held a few months before the Sustainable Development Goals Summit in New York and the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in Paris, the Vienna Energy Forum brought together participants from all over the world.  As a global and multi-stakeholder forum with a mandate of exploring 21st century developmental challenges from the perspective of sustainable energy, it provided a platform for debate on practical solutions to these issues. Given that the complex issues connected to sustainable energy need to be addressed in a holistic manner, the VEF relied on all sectors of society to pave the way for tangible partnerships on the ground.

Sahara Wind à la MEDCOP21 les 4 et 5 juin 2015 à Marseille, France

En amont de la Conférence des parties de la COP21 à Paris et avec le soutien et la présence du Président de la République Française, la Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur a organisé la MEDCOP21 à Marseille. Cet évènement a accueilli des représentants des Etats et de leurs organismes déconcentrés, ainsi que 500 représentants des acteurs en provenance de l’ensemble des pays du pourtour méditerranéen.

La MEDCOP21 a permis de souligner l’engagement commun dans la lutte contre le changement climatique. Celle-ci a mis en lumière la contribution des collectivités locales, des associations, des entreprises, des réseaux constitués œuvrant en tant que catalyseurs du développement durable.

Interview du directeur de Sahara Wind à la MEDCOP21:

http://www.medcop21.com/category/interviews/page/3/