USTDA Supports Morocco's Renewable Energy Goals
March 23, 2012
(USTDA)
RABAT, MOROCCO – To support the development of a 1.5 megawatt solar photovoltaic
(PV) rooftop pilot project in Mohammedia, Morocco, USTDA awarded $666,619 for a
feasibility study to the Moroccan National Company for Transportation and
Logistics (SNTL). The grant was signed during a Chamber of Commerce hosted trade
mission in Rabat on March 21, 2012, by U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Samuel L.
Kaplan on behalf of USTDA and by Director General Oussama Loudghiri on behalf of
SNTL.
"As a result of Morocco’s economic growth, rising energy demand is exceeding the
country's currently installed renewable energy capacity," said USTDA Country
Manager Heather Lanigan. "Morocco has made investments to increase their
renewable energy capacity a top priority, and this feasibility study will
support that objective, as well as encouraging U.S. business involvement in
reaching that goal."
Morocco currently relies heavily on imports to meet more than 95% of the
country's energy requirements. At the same time, current predictions estimate
that energy consumption will rise 8% per year. As a result, the Government of
Morocco has embarked on a national campaign to achieve 6 gigawatts of installed
capacity from renewable energy resources by 2020 and is investing billions of
dollars into developing the industry. This study will support Morocco's strides
toward that goal, while exploring opportunities for U.S. technologies and
services to play a role.
The feasibility study will develop the design, technology, and financing
structure for a 1.5 megawatt solar PV rooftop pilot project on a planned
facility expansion in Mohammedia, a key logistical center in the Casablanca
region. In addition, the study will develop a methodology to duplicate the pilot
project's success at for other planned facilities throughout Morocco, for a
cumulative generation capacity of 7 megawatts.
SNTL recently participated in a USTDA-hosted reverse trade mission to the United
States to become familiar with U.S. solar energy technologies, and the
feasibility study will highlight the potential implementation of those
U.S.-produced technologies into this pilot project.
The opportunity to conduct the feasibility study will be competed on the Federal
Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A link to the FBO announcement will be
posted on USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested U.S. firms should submit
proposals according to the instructions in the FBO announcement.
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