Morocco Joins African Wind Giants

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI inaugurated a new wind farm in Melloussa, Morocco that spans 42 km, houses 165 turbines, and has a production capacity of 140 MW. The project, costing up to €300 million, was financed by the European Bank as well as banking institutions in Spain and Germany.

This is the first of five wind farms to be erected in the North African country which, upon completion, will give Morocco the title of having the largest wind farm in Africa increasing its wind generation capacity from the current 280 MW to 2000 MW in 2020.

Morocco joins other wind energy leaders like Kenya with its Lake Turkana region. The Lake Turkana wind farm will install 365 wind turbines, expected to be complete in 2012, is anticipated to cost around £533 million and have a 300-MW capacity. In addition, Morocco’s North African neighbor Egypt has a 360-MW capacity in its Zafarana wind farm located on the Gulf of Suez. Egypt is even aiming to increase the wind farm’s capacity to 545 MW.

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