Masen launches the call for bids process for the Noor Midelt III solar project in Morocco

Masen, the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy, launched the pre-qualification process for the selection of the private partner who will be responsible for financing, building and operating the Noor Midelt III project. This is the third phase of the Noor Midelt programme. 

Noor Midelt III alone will have an installed solar photovoltaic capacity of around 400 MW and a storage capacity based on Battery Energy Systems (BESS) of around 400 MWh, says Masen in a press release. Masen goes on to say that this project will contribute to the massive integration of renewable energies, “in particular by helping to cover the needs of the super peak of the national electricity system”.

According to Masen, the Noor Midelt III project financing structure will enable the private sector to make a greater contribution to the deployment of renewable energies. In particular, it will involve a number of Moroccan and international commercial banks. 

The press release informs that companies or consortiums interested in the call for bids have until Friday 20 October 2023 at 10:00 (Moroccan time) to submit their applications via their website. 

The development of this complex, which is part of the Noor Midelt project launched in 2016 by King Mohammed VI, is accelerating rapidly. This call for bids comes a month after the announcement of the list of pre-qualified consortia and companies for the “Noor Midelt II” solar project. The Midelt region is set to host one of the world's largest solar complexes, with a total installed capacity of around 1,600 MW. 

According to the Agency, the accelerated deployment of the three Noor Midelt I, II and III plants will make a major contribution to achieving the Kingdom of Morocco's objective of having, by 2030, an electricity mix in which at least 52 % of the capacity will be of renewable origin. 

Rabat has made considerable efforts to develop the clean and renewable energy sector. According to the National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water, installed electrical capacity in Morocco will reach 11,055 megawatts (MG) in 2022, an increase of 0.8 % compared with 2021. 

However, with renewable energies accounting for 16.1 % of the Moroccan energy mix in 2022, excluding hydroelectricity, the Moroccan authorities are pushing ahead with the development of other projects, including the acceleration of the Noor Midelt programme.