Page 12 - AfrElec Week 16 2022

AfrElec CARBON CAPTURE AfrElec

Brilliant Planet sets carbon-

capture facility in Morocco

MOROCCO LONDON-BASED technology firm Brilliant establishing the facility, all of which will come
Planet is currently setting up a 30-hectare algae from a Series A fundraising round it completed
farm, to capture carbon from the air using sea- earlier this month. Per unit area, the facility
weed in the coastal region of Morocco’s Sahara sequesters up to 30 times more carbon per year
desert, technology news portal TechCrunch has than rainforest land. Moreover, it will be oper-
reported. The move came after nearly four years ated by solar energy, will use no fresh water, and
of trials at the company’s 3-hectare research will help in reducing the acidity of coastal waters
facility in Morocco. to pre-industrial levels.
Carbon-capture technology has immense Vehicle emissions are the main sources of air
potential for bringing down the levels of car- pollution in Moroccan urban centers, account-
bon-dioxide (CO2) emissions in the atmos- ing for 50-60% of the pollution. Air pollution
phere. It uses heavy machinery to absorb carbon has a serious impact on Morocco. It causes an
particles from the air. But the technology is estimated 5,000 deaths annually and costs the
not yet used on a wider scale because it is still national economy MAD11bn (€1bn) per year,
expensive. or 1% of gross domestic product (GDP). ™
Brilliant Planet will spend $12mn on

Morocco launches first phase of

400-MW Noor II solar project

MOROCCO THE Moroccan government has launched the The private firms, chosen after a tender
first phase of the country’s Noor II solar pho- launched last year, are: Morocco’s Taqa Maroc
tovoltaic (PV) energy project, according to a (Casablanca and Kelaa Sraghna, in central
statement by the Moroccan Agency for Sustain- Morocco, 48 MW each); Italy’s Enel Green
able Energy (MASEN), which is supervising the Power Morocco (Bejaad in Khouribga Prov-
project. ince, 48 MW); Amea Power, an Africa and
Noor II will have a total capacity of around Middle East-focused renewable energy firm
400 MW in 14 facilities which will be imple- (Taroudant, south-eastern Morocco, 36 MW; El
mented by the private sector. Of the 14 projects, Hajeb, Fes-Meknes region, also 36 MW); French
13 – with a total capacity of 333 MW and dis- energy group Voltalia Maroc (Guercif, Gharb
tributed among seven sites in various Moroccan region, 48 MW; Ain Beni Mathar, Jerrada prov-
provinces – have already been assigned to private ince, 69 MW).
companies. Morocco targets a 45.5% cut in greenhouse
The first phase, just launched, will involve gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and aims to have
the construction of seven of the 14 facilities. The more than 52% of its installed electricity capacity
sites were chosen according to their suitability accounted for by renewables by 2025.™
for solar PV technology, their topography and
their potential socio-economic impact.

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 16 21•April•2022