The world's largest solar power project

Morocco, a country located in northern Africa, is rapidly emerging as a leader in renewable energy. The Moroccan government has taken bold action to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and promote green energy development by building one of the world's largest centralized solar power plants, the Zazat Solar Complex.

Morocco's energy dependence issue

Morocco is the largest energy importer in North Africa, with over 90% of its energy resources requiring imports. Despite having abundant oil and natural gas reserves, the growth in domestic electricity demand has led to a high dependence on imported fuels. The annual electricity demand increases by 5.6%, but domestic supply cannot meet the demand, and the government spends billions of dollars annually importing fuel. This not only poses a heavy burden on the country's finances, but also poses a threat to energy security.

Morocco's Green Energy Strategy

n order to reduce his dependence on imported fuels, King Mohammed VI of Morocco has set an ambitious goal of meeting 52% of electricity demand through green energy by 2030. The achievement of this goal is crucial for Morocco as it can reduce energy dependence, reduce demand for imported oil, reduce carbon emissions, address climate change, and improve the sustainability of the domestic economy.

Formulation of new energy strategy

Due to Morocco's relatively limited water resources, most rivers dry up for most of the time. Therefore, the government has decided to adopt a more forward-looking energy strategy, listing solar and wind energy as the most important types of energy. The formulation of this strategy is logical, as Morocco has sufficient solar resources. There are over 300 sunny days every year, with ample sunlight, making it an ideal place for solar power generation.

Construction of Zazat Solar Complex

Zazat Solar Complex is located in the Atlas Mountains in the west of the Sahara Desert, only 20 kilometers away from the provincial capital, Samasdra. The annual average solar radiation here is extremely high, reaching 2635 kilowatt hours per square meter, which is one of the highest in the world. Therefore, the Zazat region has been chosen as an ideal location for building solar complexes.The solar complex covers an area of 3000 hectares, equivalent to the area of 3500 football fields. It consists of four independent solar power plants, each using different technologies, including cylindrical parabolic mirror technology, solar tower technology, and photovoltaic power generation technology.

The first phase of construction began in 2013, while the final part was completed in 2018. This power generation plan is based on centralized solar energy technology, where the system uses a large number of mirrors or solar reflectors to focus the sunlight, which heats the liquid and generates steam to drive the turbine to generate electricity. In certain parts of the power plant, water is also used as a coolant, with a total consumption of up to 3 million cubic meters per year. In addition, the complex is equipped with a molten salt storage tank that can store thermal energy, enabling electricity to be generated at night. In order to maintain the temperature of the molten salt mixture above 110 degrees Celsius and the temperature of the synthetic oil used as a heating medium above 8 degrees Celsius, 19 tons of diesel fuel are required per day.

The Impact of Zazat Solar Complex

The Zazat solar complex is not only a huge infrastructure, but also a tourist attraction. The complex features a 16 hectare theme park inspired by maps from Morocco, as well as a hall, media library, and a tower providing panoramic views. However, most importantly,it represents Morocco's commitment to renewable energy.Since the operation of the Zazat solar power station, 37% of Morocco's electricity comes from renewable sources. This achievement has earned Morocco the praise of the international community. Due to its active efforts on global warming, Morocco has received high praise from the European Union and world organizations.

In addition, every year, the carbon free energy generated by the Zazat solar complex is equivalent to 2.5 million tons of imported oil. This not only helps reduce Morocco's dependence on imported oil, but also makes it possible for Morocco to export green energy to neighboring countries. Morocco has started implementing some large-scale export projects, which will have a positive impact on the local economy.

In summary, Morocco has achieved remarkable results through projects such as the construction of the Zazat solar complex. This not only reduces energy dependence, but also sets an example for the sustainable development of the country. The Zazat solar complex is a typical success story that inspires other countries to actively take action and find suitable renewable energy solutions to achieve sustainable and clean energy.