Wind Energy

EDF Energies Nouvelles enters Moroccan wind energy market

The Consortium led by EDF Energies Nouvelles, in association with Mitsui & Co., Ltd., has been selected as preferred bidder by the Moroccan national electricity office (ONE: Office National d’Electricité) for the Taza wind farm, which has a wind power capacity of 150 MW. EDF Energies Nouvelles also announces the creation of a local subsidiary, EDF EN Maroc, which will drive the Group’s further development in Morocco.

Located in northern Morocco, to the East of Fès, the Taza wind farm will be equipped with 50 Alstom wind turbines of 3 MW each. EDF Energies Nouvelles, Mitsui and Alstom will subcontract at least 30 % of the construction works to Moroccan companies.

This new 150 MW wind power project launched by ONE in May 2011 under a public-private partnership scheme will be followed in 2012 by an additional 850 MW tender process whose procedure of pre-qualification is in progress. Keen to leverage on its extremely good sun and wind conditions, authorities in Morocco are planning to develop at least 2 GW wind energy and 2 GW solar power (concentrating solar power and photovoltaic) programs by 2020.

EDF Energies Nouvelles is also to open a 100%-owned subsidiary in Casablanca, EDF EN Maroc, with the aim of driving the development of both wind power and solar energy activities in the country in partnership with the Moroccan Authorities and local companies. EDF EN Maroc along with Mitsui will be responsible for the design, financing, development and construction of the Taza wind power project and will operate the wind farm under a 20 year agreement.

“We are very happy to have the chance to be involved in this high quality wind power project, which will be the first achievement of EDF Energies Nouvelles in Morocco. It demonstrates EDF EN’s ability to develop well-adapted local solutions and to address the needs of public authorities in terms of green electricity generation and industrial integration,” said Fabienne Demol, Executive VP – New Business Development at EDF Energies Nouvelles. “ONE’s decision on the Taza project is also a great opportunity for EDF EN to build a long term partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco and to participate in the creation of renewable projects in a country with high development potential.”

With operations in Europe and North America, EDF Energies Nouvelles is a market leader in green electricity production. With a development focused on wind energy for several years and more recently on solar power photovoltaic, the Group is also present in other segments of the renewable energies market: small hydro, marine energy, biomass, biofuel and biogas. In addition, the Group is expanding in the distributed renewable energies sector. EDF Energies Nouvelles is a subsidiary of the EDF group.

Wind power in Morocco

1999: 14 MW (- %)
2000: 54 MW (+285.8 %)
2001: 54 MW (- %)
2002: 54 MW (- %)
2003: 54 MW (- %)
2004: 54 MW (- %)
2005: 64 MW (+18.6 %)
2006: 64 MW (- %)
2007: 125 MW (+95.4 %)
2008: 125 MW (- %)
2009: 253 MW (+102.4 %)
2010: 286 MW (+13.1 %)
2011: 291 MW (+1.8 %)

By José Santamarta, www.edf-energies-nouvelles.com