Where some see desert and desolation, others see opportunities, and that was reflected in an ambitious project that involved humanity. However, despite the high expectations placed upon it, it failed, resulting in a billion-dollar loss. This is a starkly contrasting case to what is happening in Dubai, where there is a colossal structure rising in the middle of the desert.
This initiative promised to change the energy history of humankind, but it hasn’t unfolded as expected. It’s worth noting that ambitious energy proposals often take a long time to materialize. It’s not as simple as having an idea and executing it. For it to move from paper to reality, a large number of factors must align, from capital to infrastructure.
In this case, everything was ready to witness the triumph of a structure that could have gone far, but we’re still waiting for it to materialize. Many say it has failed and there is no hope, but others still hope for a second chance.
This project was supposed to be undertaken in the desert but has been paralyzed
We’re talking about Morocco’s largest solar project, which has been delayed due to disputes among the involved parties. They still can’t agree on the type of energy to use. The initial plan was to launch the initiative this year. The $2 billion, 800 MW Noor Midelt I plant was supposed to be operational by 2024, but its construction is nowhere near starting.
According to various sources speaking to Reuters, the Ministry of Energy and the network operator ONEE are the ‘culprits’ as they have rejected CSP technology. The state energy agency MASEN gave the green light to the contract for Noor Midelt I to become a reality in 2019 and awarded the proposal to EDF Renewables.
So, the idea was for the plant to employ photovoltaic (PV) technology, which is cheaper. However, it houses a discrete energy storage capacity, and CSP, which is more expensive but continues to supply the grid for hours after sunset.
The desert’s most ambitious project remains in words due to this controversial reason
However, since the contract was awarded, ONEE and the Ministry of Energy warned that they would only accept the purchase of energy if MASEN abandoned CSP in favor of PV or transformed energy storage from saline to batteries.
MASEN and the network have finally managed to agree on the energy purchase agreement, but negotiations between MASEN and the detailed consortium regarding technology are still ongoing. MASEN stated that the initiative was delayed due to the pandemic and is now in the final stage of development, but did not respond to questions from the aforementioned media outlet regarding the dispute.
EDF Renewables stated that Morocco remains firm in its decision to resume development by mixing photovoltaic, solar thermal, and battery storage. The Ministry of Energy noted that it “tries to be as agnostic as possible regarding technology.”
The desert’s most ambitious project has failed, but there is a solution
“The construction of the 800 MW, $2 billion Noor Midelt I plant has not even begun, despite being scheduled to be operational this year, after the Ministry of Energy and the UNO network operator rejected the proposed CSP technology,” sources told the UK-based news agency.
Currently, there is only desert instead of the super project we were promised. As mentioned, several of the involved parties are determined to make it work, but will they succeed? If you want to learn more about the incredible advances in the desert, you can’t miss our article about the country that has just produced renewable energy in this arid climate biome. It has reversed a trend of a million years.
