The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) recently launched a joint initiative to develop strategic renewable energy (RE) projects in Africa. It aims to improve electricity production from renewable sources on the continent, notably through technical and financial support to projects in IDB member countries.
The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) want to build capacity for electricity production from renewable sources and develop local know-how capable of autonomously carrying out future projects in Africa. To this end, the two parties recently launched the joint initiative to develop strategic renewable energy (RE) projects on the continent. This was during a virtual event attended by the Moroccan Minister of Energy, Mines and Environment, Aziz Rabbah; the CEO of MASEN, Mustapha Bakkoury, represented by the Director of International Cooperation and Development of the Agency, Ali Zerouali. IDB Vice President Mansur Muhtar also attended the virtual event.
To achieve the objectives set, the Masen and the IDB plan to support renewable energy projects in IDB member countries in Africa through the mobilization of the necessary resources and the establishment of appropriate mechanisms, incorporating the benefits of South-South cooperation. “Africa needs to increase access to sustainable, quality and affordable electricity,” says Masen.
Building solar power plants
Several projects were presented at the launch of the joint MASEN/IDB Renewable Energy (RE) Project Development Initiative. These are solar power plants with a cumulative capacity of 30 MWp in Dosso, Maradi and Diffa in Niger. A project of three solar power plants with storage in Djibouti was also presented during the virtual event. The plants are expected to be located at PK20, between Mouloud and Dikhil, and between Goubet and Petit Bara for capacities between 10 and 30 MWp. “It is also the Franceville solar power plant with a capacity of 150 MWp and the 36 MW FE II hydroelectric project in Gabon, as well as a 50 MW solar thermal power plant in Senegal. Other projects will be proposed in the coming months by the rest of the IDB member countries in Africa,” Masen says.
The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy and the Islamic Development Bank will support the pre-feasibility of the selected renewable energy projects as part of their joint initiative to develop strategic renewable energy (RE) projects in Africa. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Masen and the IDB was signed in April 2019 in Marrakech, Morocco.
Inès Magoum
