The Moroccan electric and water utility, ONEE, has commissioned the 270-MW Jbel Lahdid wind farm in the Essaouira province, marking a significant step in the country's renewable energy expansion. The new wind farm brings Morocco's total renewable energy capacity to 5,440 MW, with wind power contributing 2,400 MW, or 45% of the nation's electricity generation capacity.
Developed through a public-private partnership between Morocco's Nareva Holding and Italy's Enel Green Power, the project involved an investment of MAD 3.25 billion (USD 328.8 million/EUR 302.8 million), with financing from development banks KfW, EIB, and the European Union. ONEE will purchase the generated electricity under a power purchase agreement (PPA).
Equipped with 54 turbines of 5 MW each, installed along three ridges on the Essaouira-Safi national road, the wind farm is expected to generate around 952 GWh annually. This output is sufficient to power a city of 1.2 million people, equivalent to the energy needs of cities like Marrakech, Fez, or Tangiers.
Tarik Hamane, Managing Director of ONEE, emphasized the importance of the project, stating: “With the commissioning of the Jbel Lahdid wind farm, we are marking a new stage in our commitment to strengthening the Kingdom's energy independence and supporting the fight against climate change. Our country continues to move at high speed towards achieving the ambitious target of 52% renewable energy in the energy mix, well before 2030.”
