EDF Renewables, Abu Dhabi company Masdar and Moroccan developer Green of Africa have won the rights to develop the 800MW Noor Midelt 1 solar hybrid project in Morocco.
The award by the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy is for a plant that combines concentrated solar power and photovoltaic technologies.
Noor Midelt 1 will be located 20km north of the town of Midelt in central Morocco
Construction is expected to start in the last quarter of this year, with the project coming online in 2022.
EDF said the hybridisation of the two technologies is a world first.
The development consortium said: “EDF Renewables, Masdar and Green of Africa would like to thank the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy and the King of Morocco for having designated our consortium as the successful bidder to develop the innovative Noor Midelt 1 with an installed capacity of 800MW hybrid concentrated solar power and photovoltaic power plant.
“The consortium is fully committed to supporting MASEN and the realisation of Morocco’s long-term renewable energy ambitions.”
Morocco has set a goal to have 52% of its electricity generation produced from renewable sources by 2030.