Bristol, UK [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] Garrad Hassan and Partners (GH) announced that it will act as a technical advisor to Morocco’s state-owned utility Office National de l’Electricite (ONE). GH will advise the utility in regard to an RFP for a 300-megawatt (MW) wind farm to be developed near Tarfaya on the Atlantic coast in Southern Morroco.
The RFP was issued on February 14, 2008. At the completion of the project, the farm will be contracted under a 20-year power purchase agreement with ONE.
“The demand for electricity is increasing rapidly in Morocco and a target of 1000 MW of wind power by 2012 has been set by the Moroccan government. This RFP is a major step in a new country, indeed a new continent, for wind power. Morocco has three key ingredients, excellent wind, lots of space and a real need for additional generation,” said GH’s CEO Dr. Andrew Garrad.
In related news, GH and nine other industry and academic partners, including Gamesa Eolica, are collaborating to put together a proposal to gain EU support for the Reliawind project. The project aims to measure and understand historical reliability of wind resources in order to create a new generation of more intelligent and reliable wind turbines that could generate electricity at a lower cost than current turbines.
“The project Reliawind led by Gamesa has received full endorsement from the European Commission, with its 13.5 score in the first request for proposals related to Non Nuclear Energy. It is located in the exclusive group of most highly marked projects, rendering it eligible for funding of up to €5.2 million [US $7.8 million] for its development,” said a spokesperson for Gamesa.
