CWA Power International, a Saudi Arabian utility, has reported a storage breakdown at one of its solar plants in Morocco. The 150-megawatt plant, part of the Noor Ouarzazate solar complex, will remain idle until November 2024, resulting in an estimated cost of $47 million for the company.
This is not the first time the plant has encountered technical issues. A Reuters report last month revealed that technical problems had halted all output at the concentrating solar power (CSP) plant for a year starting from summer 2021.
ACWA Power has announced plans to repair the storage issue and is considering the construction of a new storage tank. However, this incident raises questions about the viability of CSP technology, especially considering a 2020 report from Morocco's economic, social, and environmental council recommending the abandonment of CSP due to its high cost compared to photovoltaic and wind energy.
Morocco has ambitious renewable energy targets, aiming for renewables to represent 52% of installed capacity by 2030, up from the current 37.6%. However, the country has faced challenges in meeting its solar energy goals, with only 831 megawatts installed so far, falling short of the planned 2,000 MW by 2020. Wind energy has partially offset this shortfall, but coal plants still account for the majority of output.
The incident at the Noor Ouarzazate solar complex underscores the importance of addressing technical challenges in renewable energy infrastructure to ensure the reliable and efficient generation of clean energy.
