Morocco’s ambitious Noor Solar Project
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The first phase of the $9bn Noor Solar Project in the Moroccan Sahara is set to open in December. It will harness the sun’s warmth to store heat in molten salt and use it to generate electricity even after dark
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MOROCCO Rabat Ouarzazate SPAIN 100km 60 miles Atlantic Ocean

Ouarzazate Noor 1: Phase one of four plants 
Noor Solar Project site: Same size as capital Rabat 5km 3 miles
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MOROCCAN POWER
Now: Dependent on imported fossil fuels (electricity imported from Spain)
98%
By 2020: Electricity generated from own renewables (potential to re-export to Europe) 42%
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SOLAR THERMAL PLANT
Storage: Molten salt (393°C) fed into tanks
Heat exchange: Steam generated from stored heat
Turbine: Steam drives turbine which generates electricity, initially for
three hours
Absorber tube: Filled with heat transfer fluid – molten salt
12m
Parabolic mirrors Sunlight focuses onto absorber tube

Noor 1: 500,000 mirrors will generate 160MW of power
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Sources: ACWA, SENER, TSK Flagsol, wire agencies
Picture: Associated Press
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