Renewable

January 19 (SeeNews) - Morocco's recent tender for 850 MW of wind power has attracted bids of about MAD 300 (USD 30 /EUR 28) per MWh on average, the Minister of Energy, Abdelkader Amara, said at a meeting in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

The tender was won by Italy’s Enel Green Power SpA (BIT:EGPW), in consortium with Moroccan Nareva Holding and Siemens Wind Power AS. The December announcement of the government did not disclose the exact price of the bid. It only said it was the lowest.

At the sixth Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) held over the weekend, Amara noted that the kingdom has achieved something of a world record in wind energy pricing thanks to its excellent conditions for wind power development, both in terms of natural resource and state policy.

The north African country is targeting to achieve a 42% share of renewables in the total electricity generation capacity by 2020, further lifting the goal to 52% by 2030.

Wind power could be a major contributor in the electricity sector of Morocco.

According to data presented by minister Amara in Madrid last June, the country’s onshore potential is estimated at 25 GW, of which 6 GW could be installed by 2030.

The average wind speed is 5.3 metres per second (m/s) at more than 90% of the country’s territory, according to the wind atlas, developed by the Moroccan Renewable Energy Development Center (CDER). The Tanger and Tetouan region (North of Morocco) measured particularly high at 8 to 11 m/s and 7 to 8.5 m/s were recorded for Dakhla, Tarfaya, Taza and Essaouira.

(MAD 10 = USD 1.010 / EUR 0.929)