Comments on: Morocco to Solar-Power Nearly Half its Kingdom

By: xoussef

xoussef — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:27:25 +0000

In 2006 electricity consumption per capita in Morocco was 642.04 kWh, ie 19,580,000,000 kWh for the whole country. America’s for the same year was 12,924.224 kWh per capita which is 20 times over.

If we consider a daily insolation of only 6h , a 5GW plant would produce some 10,950,000,000 kWh, that’s already 55% of 2006 figures. and if we allow for 8h daily insolation it becomes 74%..

[SK: Thanks, xoussef, great figures]

By: DANIEL D MARTIN

DANIEL D MARTIN — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:17:42 +0000

yes this will be very possible for Morroco ,which will also bring more european investment for way more potential solar energy that could be exported to Europe through undrewater cable

by the way this will benefit the whole Mahgred region that will do much better united in an economic unity ,closely linked to its northern european community neighbors ,solving forever any ridiculous territorial claims

By: Jawad

Jawad — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 20:47:01 +0000

Van Kaas…………….go back to your history books if you have any!

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:26:03 +0000

The Moroccan parliament doesn’t have any real power. This is a policy being advanced by the king. Regardless, it is an intriguing foreign investment opportunity for companies that already see Morocco as a potential hub for regional trade

By: Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:24:44 +0000

Here’s the other factor that helps explain how 32 million could get 40% of their electricity from a 5 GW power station.

I just remembered – reading Saar’s Ecoseed piece “sunshine on the country is over 3,000 hours per year or over 8 hours a day”.

Since average insolation in California is only 5 – 5 and a 1/2 hours a day, getting 8 hours would boost the output of each GW of panels sited in Morocco by almost 60%! Over California!

Just as it takes more panels to make the same power in Alaska with only 2 to 3 hours average suntime than in San Diego – Morocco is even more perfect for solar productivity than San Diego, California.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:19:33 +0000

@ Paul: no offence Paul, but the US does consum per capita 10 x more than most countries in the world. Renewable Energy is one thing, but energy efficiency is another thing. Google “per capita energy consumption” and look at any of the results. You don’t need to live in “tents” to have a low energy consumption.

By: Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:13:36 +0000

Thanks, Meriem,
How about the Berber population? How do rural people compare with those in urban areas in terms of electricity use? Does it seem like rural electricity use could bring down that average? How much different is it? If you compare US states, Californians use half the electricity of Wyoming-ans. There can be a great deal of variability just through energy efficiency. (California has long had stringent building codes regarding energy use – Wyoming has no building codes – there’s nothing to stop builders in the state from building the way we did in the 50’s.)

By: Saar

Saar — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:09:23 +0000

Yes, I’ve heard that in November, Morocco has capitalized on sun power to produce electricity: http://www.ecoseed.org/en/green-policies/africa-a-the-middle-east/5001-Morocco-capitalizes-on-sunshine-to-generate-2-gigawatts-of-power

By: meriem

meriem — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:40:18 +0000

We use electricity for lights, t.v. refrigerator and for a washing machine in the urban areas of Morocco. Most families hang clothes out to dry (do not use a clothes dryer). Most families do not have heat or furnaces and only some families use an air conditioner for cooling – maybe one or two months of the year. So if you consider that in the US, some people heat their homes for four or five months and cool them for another two or three months – the low consumption of GW makes sense to me. And by the way, we don’t live in tents.

By: Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 21:06:54 +0000

@Paul; I noticed that was low, too. But when you remember that the US is far more profligate even than Europe which uses half the kwh that we do, – it is possible that – with a lot of tents, Morocco is in that range.

By: Mohammad Yamin

Mohammad Yamin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:56:27 +0000

I salute the Moroccan Government for taking decision to harness Solar Energy to meet atleast 40% of their power requirement. Other countries in the region including Pakistan should take lesson from this initiative and benefit from the free gift of energy offerred by the shinning sun. We must think green if we don’t wish harmfull climate change.

By: van kaas

van kaas — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:00:25 +0000

Morocco illegally annexed 4/5 of it’s southern neighbour called Western Sahara and they have build a military berm of about 1500 mile in the deserted area to defend their theft. The Moroccan plan for solarpower is a way to make western companies complicit. This is not about sustainability of the environment but of their military occupation.

The Western Sahara surely knows “green footprints” as these were left, together with millions of landmines, during the Green March, the Islamic inspired war against the original people of the land who are called the Saharawi.

The exploitation of natural resources of an occupied territory like fish, oil or sunlight is a breach of international law.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:06:47 +0000

Those numbers don’t sound right to me. They’re suggesting 32 Million people only consume 5 GW? They must all be living in tents.

The US consumes 474 GW for 302 Million (2007). That’s 1.5 GW per million. At that rate Morocco would consume 48 GW, close to 10x what they’re claiming.

By: van kaas

van kaas — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 09:54:51 +0000

Morocco illegally annexed 4/5 of Western Sahara and they have build a military berm of about 1500 mile in the deserted area to defend their theft. The Moroccan plan for solarpower is a way to make western companies complicit. This is not about sustainability of the environment but of their occupation.

The exploitation of natural resources of an occupied territory is a breach of international law.