Morocco is looking for a consultant to conduct a feasibility study for what could be Africa’s first offshore wind energy project. Masen and the EIB have issued a tender for technical assistance for this study.
The goal of this initiative is to perform a technical and economic evaluation of a potential offshore wind energy project, produce and analyse preparatory studies necessary for the project in technical, economic, environmental and social terms, and complete a detailed assessment of the risks and challenges involved.
The preferred site is on the Atlantic Ocean off Essaouira, a resort popular with windsurfers due to the constant flow of air from the Atlantic into the low-pressure zone of the Sahara.
The tender says the area’s strong winds and shallow waters give it “high potential” for wind energy.
Masen wants to install at least 6 GW of wind generation capacity by 2030 as part of its plan to generate 52% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by then.
The tender follows the announcement in September 2022 that the EIB had authorised a €2 million grant to Masen to carry out a feasibility study before the construction of a small pilot project.
Lionel Rapaille, EIB operations director for Morocco, commented at the time: “Our technical assistance operation will contribute to Morocco’s ambitious climate goals and the development of a new cutting-edge sector across the continent.”
To date, no African country has developed an offshore wind project, although Egypt, Tanzania, and Kenya have explored the possibility.
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