SeeNews Renewables
by Ivan Shumkov
Abu Dhabi-based renewables developer Masdar expects to complete its project to electrify rural Morocco with solar power by the second half of 2016, having deployed half of the systems under the plan so far.
As unveiled a bit over a year ago, Masdar signed a partnership agreement with Morocco’s Office National de l’Electricite et de l’Eau Potable (ONEE). It calls for the Abu Dhabi-based firm to install up to 17,670 home solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with a combined capacity surpassing 5.1 MW to power households in 940 remote villages.
The company said over the weekend that it has already installed roughly 9,000 of the 290-W systems, consisting of solar panels and batteries with sufficient storage capacity for three days along with energy-efficient appliances such as LED lamps and a 165-litre refrigerator.
This and some other local initiatives will provide energy access to about 99% of rural Morocco by the end of 2017, Masdar said.
