In most of my previous reports on clean energy, I have always stated that Africa is taking an enviable in this front especially given the immense natural resources at her disposal to do so. If it ever sounded like a fluke, I bet it wouldn't after reading this.

Morocco, an amazing North African country, will on Thursday, 11^th February, 2016, switch on the first phase of her Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Plant which will be the largest in the world when completed. The project named Noor 1 and Noor 2 for the two respective phases aims to solve Morocco's energy needs which have continued to increase by an average of 7 percent annually.

The power plant, located at the edge of Sahara Desert in the city of Ouarzazate, will solve the electricity needs of about 1.1 million Moroccans as well as occupy a space as large the country's capital, Rabat.

Morocco, which hitherto imports 97 percent of her energy needs, plans to generate 42% of her energy from solar, wind and hydro-power by 2020 and 52% by 2030 drastically reducing the amount of carbon emissions in the country while slashing electricity costs by more than 10%.

With this the first phase of the project completed, 160 MW of the targeted 580 MW has been achieved. According to the Guardian, the plant, after it is switched on, is expected to provide electricity to an initial 650,000 people from dawn to up to three hours after sunset.

The Moroccan leader, King Mohammed VI will switch on the plant, Noor 1, around 2pm this Thursday and laying the foundation for the second phase, Noor 2, simultaneously.

The project, which will cost a total of $9bn, will be completed in 2018 and with advanced plans to export the energy to some parts of Europe and the Middle East.

With Morocco hosting the 22^nd session of the Conference of Parties later in November, we have every reason to be hopeful of a global clean energy revolution afterwards. I can't stop being proud of this moment, it was once a dream, Morocco has made it happen. I am proud! 

Let's take out time to celebrate this great achievement by Morocco.

Source: The Guardian

Photo(1& 2) by: The Guardian

Photo 3 by: NASA