A new report, The Renewable Energy Investment Case for Africa, has praised Morocco’s NOOR Complex as one of the continent’s most significant renewable energy achievements, highlighting the country's progress in clean energy transition.
The report describes the solar plant as a "world-class utility-scale solar complex" and a prime example of how Africa can attract private investment for its clean energy shift.
As one of the largest concentrated solar power plants globally, NOOR boasts a 582-megawatt capacity, combining both concentrated solar power (510 MW) and photovoltaic technologies (72 MW), with energy storage capabilities allowing electricity production even after sunset.
The project, developed through a public-private partnership between Morocco’s MASEN and ACWA Power, received financial support from international institutions, which helped reduce costs by up to 25%. NOOR has since provided power to over 1.1 million people, contributes 5% of Morocco’s electricity, and significantly reduces the country’s reliance on imported energy, while offsetting 690,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Despite challenges, including water usage concerns in the arid region, the project’s success underscores the potential for renewable energy to reshape Africa’s future.
Morocco’s goal to produce 52% of its electricity from renewables by 2030 is central to its energy strategy, and the report places NOOR within a broader African context, where financing remains the biggest hurdle to scaling up renewable energy across the continent.