Page 14 - AfrElec Week 27 2022

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Morocco launches tender for

Noor Atlas PV plant

MOROCCO MOROCCO launched a tender on July 4 to pick construction of five photovoltaic solar power
up firms to establish the Noor Atlas photovoltaic plants: The Ain Ben Mathan plant (42 MW), the
solar programme, according to a press release Enjli and Boudnib plants (42 MW each), and the
by the country’s Agency for Sustainable Energy Ouatat el Haj and Bouanane plants (30 MW and
(MASEN). Applications should be presented to 36 MW respectively).
MASEN before the end of October this year. The second phase includes two photovoltaic
The selected companies will make the engi- solar power plants in Tan-tan and Tata, with a
neering, procurement, construction and mainte- capacity of 26 MW each.
nance processes of the project, which is expected Morocco aims to secure 52% of its energy
to produce nearly 250 MW of solar power. from renewables by the year 2030. Currently,
The Noor Atlas photovoltaic solar project around 35% of power needs are from renewa-
will include seven sites, located primarily in ble sources. MASEN said nearly 50 renewable
Morocco’s eastern and southern regions. It will energy projects are in the pipeline with an esti-
be implemented in two phases. mated capacity of 4.1 GW. ™
The first phase of the project includes the

Afrikaner enclave seeks

solar independence

SOUTH AFRICA A South African town, 100% inhabited by Afri- Africa in the 17th and 18th centuries. They grew
kaner people, has finished the first phase of a their influence over the centuries and across
solar farm that is catering for 20% of its electric- present-day South Africa and neighbouring
ity needs, national broadcaster, SABC says. Namibia. In 1948, as leaders of both countries,
Orania, in the country’s Northern Cape they instituted apartheid, a system of govern-
Province, was established in 1991 exclusively to ment that emphasised “apartness” in the Afri-
accommodate Afrikaners, whose Dutch colonial kaans language.
ancestors were the architects of apartheid. The South Africa’s power utility Eskom, is failing
nine square kilometre zone is recognised by the to provide enough electricity to the country due
constitution of South Africa and home to about to old generating plants, rising demand, frequent
2, 500 people, has its own president, flag, clinic breakdowns and vandalism of its transmission
and currency. With zero crime, it does not need and distribution infrastructure.
a police station. “Orania is still part of South Africa so we
As the country continues to experience pro- still need to deal with the same issues that South
longed blackouts, Orania hopes to deepen its Africa deals with,” Strydom said.
exclusivity by weaning itself off the national grid “So when there is load shedding it is also hap-
as well, SABC cited the enclave’s spokesperson pening in Orania and it is one of the factors keep-
Joost Strydom as saying on Monday (July 4). ing us back as small business owners and bigger
“It was always part of the Orania plan to take business owners. It is a big factor in our everyday
care of our own community on as many levels business. We have a restaurant as well as a call
as possible including something like electricity,” centre. The restaurant uses a lot of energy and
he said. we must improvise. So I hope that will help us.”
“So this is not something in reaction to the The recently completed phase one of the solar
loadshedding that we see now. However, we pri- project generates 841 kilowatts, which powers
oritise energy for our community now.” 200 homes. On quiet Sundays or afternoons,
The first phase cost the community $627,100. Strydom told The South African recently, the
Afrikaners descended from Dutch people town has enough electricity for everyone.™
who settled at the Cape, southwestern South

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 27 07•July•2022