ESMAP Study Highlights Concentrated Solar Power Potential in Morocco

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The findings of an ESMAP report on concentrated solar power (CSP) in Morocco played a catalytic role in the financing and development of one of the largest CSP installations in the world.

ESMAP Study Highlights Concentrated Solar Power Potential in Morocco

On a bare desert plateau near Ouarzazate in southern Morocco sits what will soon be one of the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) installations in the world. CSP systems use mirrors and lenses to concentrate sunlight onto a small area. The concentrated light then acts as a heat source that can generate electricity at a conventional power plant. CSP has been identified as one of the key technologies at the heart of the energy technology revolution because of its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With its abundant sunshine, adequate water, existing technical capacity, and proximity to Europe, Morocco possessed all the attributes required for CSP production.