Ouarzazate Solar Power Station
| Ouarzazate Solar Power Station | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Country | Morocco |
| Location | Ouarzazate |
| Coordinates | 31°02′57″N 6°52′10″W / 31.0492°N 6.8694°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | May 2013 |
| Commission date | February 2016[1] |
| Construction cost | $3.9 billion |
| Solar farm | |
| Type | CSP |
| CSP technology | Parabolic trough |
| Site resource | 2,635 kWh/m2/yr |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 160 MW |
| Annual net output | 370 GWh |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS) is a solar power complex located in the Souss-Massa-Drâa area in Morocco, 10 km from Ouarzazate town, in Ghessat rural council area. The entire Solar Project is planned to produce 580 MW at peak when finished and is being built in three phases and in four parts. Total project expected to cost $9 billion.[2]
The plant will be able to store solar energy in the form of heated molten salt, allowing for production of electricity into the night. Phase 1 comes with a full-load molten salt storage capacity of 3 hours. The planned Phase 2 (Noor 2 and 3 plants), due to open in 2017 and 2018 will store energy for up to eight hours.[3] It will cover an area of 2,500 hectares (6,178 acres).
The project is developed with help of the Spanish consortium TSK-Acciona-Sener and is the first in a series of several planned developments at the Ouarzazate Solar Complex by the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN). As of December 2015, the plant was expected to begin commercial operation in June 2017.[4]
Ouarzazate was originally the location chosen in 2011 by the Desertec consortium for a solar plant which would be part of a €400bn project that would supply much of Europe with solar electricity through power lines under the Strait of Gibraltar.[5] However in late 2012 many of the investors, including Spain, Bosch and Siemens pulled out, and Morocco found alternative support from the Africa Development Bank.[6]
Water consumption for the Ouarzazate Noor complex is estimated at 2.5 to 3 million m3 per year for one wet- cooling project (Noor I) and two dry – cooling projects (Noor II and III) and due to the need to regularly clean the reflectors.[7]
Noor 1
Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS) – Phase 1, also referred to as Noor 1 CSP, is planned to produce 125 to 160 MW. It covers 450 hectares (1,112 acres) and is expected to deliver 370 GWh per year.[8] The plant is a parabolic trough type with 3 hours storage. The cost of the project when it began operations was $3.9 billion.[9] It uses half a million mirrors.[10]
The design uses wet cooling and the need to regularly clean the reflectors means that the water use is high — 1.7 million m3 per year or 4.6 liters per kWh.[11] Water usage is more than double the water usage of a wet cooled coal power station and 23x the water use per kWh of a dry cooled coal power station.[12][13]
The electricity was to be sold at $0.19 /kWh.[14]
Noor 2
Noor 2 CSP is being built as the second part of the Ouarzazate Solar Power Station. It wil be a 200 MW CSP solar project using parabolic trough and with 5 hours energy storage.
It covers an area of 680 hectares (1,680 acres) and is expected to supply 600 GWh per year.[15] Construction started in February 2016.
It will use a dry cooling system to decrease water use.[16]
Noor 3
Noor 3 CSP is being built as the third part of the Ouarzazate Solar Power Station. It wil be a 150 MW CSP solar project using a solar tower and with five hours energy storage.
It covers an area of 750 hectares (1,853 acres) and it is expected to supply 500 GWh per year.[17]
It will use a dry cooling system to decrease water use.[18]
Noor 4
Noor 4 will be a 80 MW PV solar plant.
See also
References
- ^ "Morocco commissions first phase of Noor-Ouarzazate solar power project". power-technology.com. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ Neslen, Arthur (2016-02-04). "Morocco to switch on first phase of world's largest solar plant". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
- ^ Neslen, Arthur (26 October 2015). "Morocco poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
- ^ Project > MA-Ouarzazate Concentrated Solar Power > Results, World Bank, accessed 2015-12-28
- ^ Hickman, Leo (Nov 2, 2011). "Morocco to host first solar farm in €400bn renewables network". The Guardian. Retrieved Dec 30, 2015.
- ^ Coats, Christopher (Dec 20, 2012). "Moroccan Solar Sees Path Forward With or Without Desertec". Forbes. Retrieved Dec 30, 2015.
- ^ "Ouarzazate Solar Power Complex, Phase 1
Morocco
Specific Environmental and Social Impact Assessment" (PDF). - ^ "Project Ourzazate Solar Power Station – Phase I
Country: Kingdom of Morocco
Project Appraisal Report
Date: April 2012" (PDF). - ^ Neslen, Arthur (2016-02-04). "Morocco to switch on first phase of world's largest solar plant". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
- ^ "Morocco's Massive Desert Solar Project Starts Up". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
- ^ "Ouarzazate Solar Power Complex, Phase 1
Morocco
Specific Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
Volume 1" (PDF). - ^ "Environmental impact of electricity generation". Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- ^ "Majuba Power Station". www.eskom.co.za. Retrieved 2016-02-08.
- ^ "Morocco starts production at 160 MW solar plant - Agricultural Commodities -Reuters". af.reuters.com. Retrieved 2016-02-08.
- ^ "Ouarzazate Solar Complex Project – Phase II (NOORo II AND NOORo III power plants)" (PDF).
- ^ "Project: Ouarzazate Solar Power Station Project II
Country: Morocco
Summary environmental and social impact assessment" (PDF). - ^ "Ouarzazate Solar complex project – Phase II (NOORo II AND NOORo III power plants)" (PDF).
- ^ "PROJECT: Ouarzazate Solar Power Station Project II
Country: Morocco
Summary environmental and social impact assessment" (PDF).