$3.5 billion program - Morocco inaugurates the largest wind power park in Africa

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201006286390/Energy/35bln-program-morocco-inaugurates-the-largest-wind-energy-park-in-africa.html

$3.5 billion program - Morocco inaugurates the largest wind power park in Africa

- Rabih Serrai
Monday, 28 June 2010 21:02


Morocco (Tangier) - HM King Mohammed VI chaired, on Monday in Dhar Saadane (northern province of Fahs-Anjra), a ceremony to present the Moroccan integrated wind energy program worth 31.5 bln dirhams ($3.5bln).

On this occasion, the sovereign inaugurated the Tangier I wind energy park "Dahr Saadane", the largest in Africa, carried out for an amount of 2.75 billion dirhams. It includes notably 165 wind turbines, 165 support struts, and 4 meteorological stations and will contribute to meeting 2.5% of the domestic demand for energy.

The program provides for building new wind energy parks which will raise the wind-based installed electric power from a current 280 MW to 2,000 MW by 2020.

The new program also ensures a sustained and environmentally-responsible development through industrial integration, research and training.

…

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Some more detail on African/Moroccan wind projects

http://www.afriwea.org/">AfriWEA - the African Wind Energy Association
http://www.afriwea.org/en/morocco.htm">AfriWEA's page on wind energy in Morocco -- four major wind parks currently under development; includes some technical data on Moroccan wind generation
http://www.afriwea.org/en/projects.htm">Synopsis of major wind energy projects in Africa

Most of the sources I've seen for Tangier wind park have cited a 140 MWe capacity, so I assume that the 280 MWe figure is the result of the recent improvements bringing more turbines online. An 8-fold increase over the next decade would allow for considerable development, and Morocco is undertaking an aggressive modernization program.

--d!

[Nederland]

2. 3.5 Billion?

3.5 Billion to go from 280 MW to 2,000 MW of installed capacity? Keeping in mind typical capacity factor that you get with wind, isn't this rather expensive?

[Kringle]

3. somebody-elses' money, costs nothing .nt

[OnlinePoker]

4. Not really

From the following article (from 2008), land based turbines cost $1.38 million euro per megawatt ($2.13 million). This project comes in at $2.04 million per megawatt.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/wind-turbine-costs-increased-offshore-power.php

[Massacure]

5. 2 million dollars a megawatt for something that works only 1/3 of the time

If you want energy 24x7 you need to triple the amount of turbines, and also create some form of energy storage.

[OnlinePoker]

6. I know.

I was just making the observation that it is no more expensive than European versions of wind farms.