Wind turbines at one of Africa’s largest wind power plant in Morocco went on line

The first 44 of 131 wind turbines at one of Africa’s largest wind farms in Tarfaya, southwest Morocco, went on line.

The wind power project is a step in the plan for the country to generate 42 percent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2020.

A total of 88 wind turbines have so far been erected at the 10,000 hectares site along the southern Atlantic coastline.

Work on the €500m ($685m) Tarfaya wind energy project began in early 2013, and the remaining wind turbines are due to become operational in October, 2014.

The Tarfaya wind energy farm is expected to produce up to 300MW at full capacity.

Moroccan company Nareva Holding and France’s GDF Suez are constructing the wind farm.