Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has officially inaugurated its new rotor blade factory in Morocco in an event chaired by Morocco’s Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy, MoulayHafid El Alamy, and MarkusTacke, CEO of Siemens Gamesa. The first blade plant of a wind turbine manufacturer in Africa and the Middle East is ready to offer wind turbine blades ‘100% made in Morocco’.
Blades are produced at the factor for export throughout Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Currently the plant produces the SWT-DD-130 platform turbines (up to 4.2MW power rating), B63-10 blades with a length of 63 meters, however it is ready to produce other blade models in the future, which could reach up to 75 meters.
The plant is located in the industrial zone of Tanger Automotive City, approximately 35 km from Tanger-Med port and ideally positioned between Europe and Africa.
Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Gamesa, explained the solid business rationale for this project. “This factory is good for our company and a solid business decision. We invest where we see strong business opportunities, and the opportunities here in Morocco are stronger than ever before. This location in Tangier provides us with direct access to some of the most important markets of tomorrow – here in Morocco, throughout the Middle East, in Europe, and in the Mediterranean Region.”
Minister El Alamy underlined the importance of this project: "The first wind turbine blades in Africa and the Middle East will be produced in Tangier and it represents a pride for the Kingdom. This pioneer project allows localizing value and announces the development of an ecosystem "renewable energy industry" which reinforces the strategic choices of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, aimed at the development of a green economy."
In addition to the blade factory a training center of 3,500 square meters was created to facilitate the knowledge transfer from Denmark to Tangier.